Jeremy Maclin Back at Philadelphia Eagles Camp: What Is His Fantasy Value?

Philadelphia Eagles wideout Jeremy Maclin is ready to return to camp after a cancer scare. We all know by now that Maclin has had this mystery illness for a good portion of time now, in fact, it dates back to five months ago during the lockout.

Per USA Today, Maclin said:

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"I was tested for everything, and every single test came back negative. I don’t have mono, I don’t have AIDS, leukemia—all the things people were guessing on, there was nothing. I was being tested for lymphoma and thank God everything has come back negative.

"I wanted my privacy on this until I had answers. I don’t like to talk unless I have all the answers about what I’m talking about. It was frustrating to hear all the rumors about me. It wasn’t until this morning (Wednesday) that I finally got my final answer and thankfully I’m healthy and ready to return to football."

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First and foremost, I want to wish Maclin luck and am very happy the doctors didn’t find cancer.

Anyways, after his scare with cancer due to weight loss, anemia and swollen lymph nodes, Maclin is healthy and ready to get back on the field.

Assuming he is in respectable shape, what is his fantasy value upon returning to the field? The Eagles already signed Steve Smith, and DeSean Jackson has ended his holdout and is back on the field. That makes a crowded receiving corps for a QB that doesn’t exactly rack up the passing yards in the first place.

Before the signing, Maclin was getting drafted in the early-to-mid fourth round, according to the Fantasy Football Calculator. Since then, Maclin has seen an ADP of the beginning of the sixth round.

I don’t blame people for doing so, but what does that do for fantasy owners that got him in the fourth? Can he still live up to the pick?

Unfortunately, I have some bad news for those owners. He just isn’t going to.

With the head start that Smith has into the system now, especially already being in game shape, Maclin should be the third receiver in line this year. I know Smith was injured last year, but Maclin didn’t crack the 1,000 yard plateau and I have a strong sense that Jackson isn’t going to lose many, if any yards or receptions this year.

That leaves about 2,000 or more yards to split between Maclin, Smith and, of course, we can’t forget Brent Celek and LeSean McCoy. Celek should be able to nab 400-500 of those yards and McCoy had almost 600 last season.

Ouch.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m obviously not high on Vick this year, but with the receiving staff he has in his corner this year, he could be electric through the air. It’s just that it’s not in his nature to throw for 4,000 yards, but there really isn’t anything wrong with that. The man can win games, and that's what it comes down to.

Maclin should retain full value on the football field—I’m not worried about that—but there simply aren't enough yards to go around. Maclin won’t live up to his fourth-round potential—sixth round, maybe—but I have to say, this team is looking very good. (As if you didn’t know that…)

Bottom line: Maclin should retain his full value on the real field, where it matters, because this three-pronged attack to go along with Celek and the Eagles' already impressive running game is lethal.

Unless you get a ridiculous offer, don’t bother trading Maclin away, because his biggest games will come at the end of the year when you need them most.