NFC East Dynasty Capsule: Philadelphia Eagles

In the last edition of the dynasty capsule, we took a look at the short and long-term fantasy potential of Donovan McNabb and his new teammates on the Washington Redskins. Today, we analyze his old franchise, the Philadelphia Eagles. After eleven years with McNabb at the helm in Philly, Andy Reid finds himself in uncharted waters as he gives Kevin Kolb the keys to the offense.

While most franchises would surely take a step back with a QB change of this magnitude, the Eagles have enough talent surrounding Kolb to make the transition much easier. Let’s take a look at the dynasty talent in the City of Brotherly Love.

Players in their Prime

DeSean Jackson WR
Most fantasy owners would have been pleased with a repeat of the 62 receptions, 912 yards, and 2 touchdowns Jackson provided in 2008. Instead, Jackson exploded for 1,156 yards and nine receiving touchdowns in 2009. When you add another two touchdowns on the 441 return yards he provided, you have a No. 1 WR.

If you think the chemistry between Jackson and Kolb could be a problem, consider that Jackson had 250 receiving yards and two touchdowns in the two games Kolb started last season. There’s certainly no drop-off there. Jackson and his 16.7 yards per catch average look to be in the dynasty fold for the next decade.

Brent Celek TE
Celek was one of our favorite sleepers last year and his performance justified that label. With 76 catches, 971 yards, and eight touchdowns, Celek established himself as one of the premier tight ends in reality and fantasy. There’s certainly no shame in having Celek as your No. 1 TE.

Rising Players

Kevin Kolb QB
It’s time for Kevin Kolb to rise to fantasy greatness. He’s spent the past three seasons learning the offense and has looked quite comfortable in most games he’s played in. In five games last year, he sported an impressive 65% completion percentage and threw for 741 yards and four touchdowns against just three interceptions. Kolb has shown some poise in his limited action and the Eagles obviously have faith he can develop into a strong signal caller.

Jeremy Maclin WR
The Missouri product had a great rookie year with 56 receptions, 773 yards, and four touchdowns. He looked even better in the playoffs and led Philadelphia with 146 yards and a score in their wild card loss against Dallas. He’ll crack the starting lineup this year and should flirt with 1,000 receiving yards. Maclin is a low-end No. 2 WR and high-end No. 3 WR right now, but could blossom into a dynamic weapon. He’s a valuable dynasty commodity.

LeSean McCoy RB
With Westbrook officially out of the fold, it’s time for McCoy to rise to fantasy stardom. He needs to improve on his 4.1 yards per carry average, but his 40 receptions show he’s a multi-dimensional weapon for the Eagles. It’s his team now and he has a chance to burst onto the scene in a big way as defenses turn their attention to Maclin and Jackson.

McCoy is currently going too low in dynasty drafts, as he’s already a quality No. 2 RB. There aren’t too many players out there who could be drafted in the 2^nd or 3^rd round of dynasty drafts and become a future top-10 player. I believe McCoy could be one of them, though.

Jason Avant WR
His ceiling is limited a little and he’ll likely play mostly in the slot, but the Eagles are committed to playing him. He’s being undervalued in dynasty circles and could emerge as a spot starter or flex play this season.

Players with Falling Values

Mike Bell RB
Bell had another great opportunity last year in New Orleans, but he didn’t take full advantage. He’s vying to be a short-yardage specialist and that’s essentially the best a Bell owner could hope for.

Michael Vick QB
His recent brush with the law simply reminds people that he isn’t exactly the role model we all want for our children. Even if you put all the off the field issues aside, the best you could hope for would be the “old” Michael Vick. Unfortunately, that was an inconsistent passer who struggled with decision making. He’s blessed with great athleticism, but he never was or will be a top tier fantasy QB. The clock is ticking.

Hank Baskett WR
Hank seems to be the odd man out on the depth chart, if he even makes the team again after he was let go before. He’ll get some limited action if he makes the team, but the highlight of his career seems to be his relationship with Kendra.

Sleeper

Charles Scott RB
A lot of people are forgetting about this bruising running back, but it wouldn’t surprise me a bit to see him push Bell for short yardage duties this year. He could make Bell completely expendable next year.

Super Sleeper

Mike Kafka QB
Everybody seemed to forget Kafka existed after he was taken by the Eagles in the 4^th round of the NFL Draft. He was one of Ron Jaworski’s pre-draft darlings and he ironically went to Jaworski’s ex-team in Philly. He possesses a skill set that translates well to the West Coast system and he’s a good stash as a developmental quarterback in a dynasty league.

Summary

The birds have been flying high for a long time as one of the most consistent teams in the NFC. With an improving team in Washington, an offensive juggernaut in Dallas, and an ex-Super Bowl champion in New York, they have their work cut out for them again in the toughest division in football.

This team has a lot of fantasy weapons who are being a little undervalued right now. Take advantage in dynasty circles and you could find yourself getting some bargains.

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