Fantasy Alert: Alshon Jeffery Will Be 'Big Part' of Eagles Offense When Healthy

Despite coming off a disappointing 2019 season and undergoing Lisfranc surgery in December, Alshon Jeffery is still expected to have a role with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2020.   

Head coach Doug Pederson discussed the veteran receiver in his conference call Tuesday:

"He's a big part of the process going forward," the coach said, per Ed Kracz of Sports Illustrated. "He's a great leader, and he's going to be able to help the young players come along."

"Alshon's done extremely well this offseason with his rehab," Pederson added.

The Eagles likely don't have much of a choice regarding Jeffery considering his contract status. Per Spotrac, the receiver has a $15.4 million cap hit for 2020, but releasing him leaves the team with $26.1 million in dead cap thanks to his guaranteed money.

Tim McManus of ESPN reported in February "some in the building believe that Eagles management plans to cut ties with Jeffery."

His health is also a significant concern, with Connor Hughes of The Athletic reporting Jeffery had a nine-month recovery timetable that put him on track to return by September, which means he'd likely miss some of training camp.

Even when healthy, the 30-year-old didn't produce much in 2019, recording just 43 catches for 490 receiving yards and four touchdowns. His yards-per-game average was his lowest since his rookie season in 2012, while his 11.4 yards per catch were the lowest of his career.

Meanwhile, the Eagles used their first-round draft pick on Jalen Reagor, and DeSean Jackson is hoping to return to 100 percent in 2020 as well. 

Though Jeffery will have a role within the offense, he might not be able to bounce back with the numbers we've seen in the past.