A.J. Brown got off to a great start for the Eagles in Week 1 with a dominant performance against the Packers in Brazil, going for 119 yards and a touchdown on five catches. While players on both sides struggled with the slippery turf, Brown and Packers CB Jaire Alexander were jawing back and forth quite a bit. But it was Brown who was able to really separate from Alexander on his 67-yard TD play. The Eagles ultimately held on for a 34-29 victory.
But the Eagles' starting receiver popped up on the injury report after Friday's practice with a hamstring injury, and then did not practice on Saturday. With the Eagles playing Monday night at home against the Falcons, Brown has some additional time to recuperate before a final decision is made on his status.
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Will A.J. Brown play in Week 2? Injury update on Eagles WR
There won't be a repeat of the Christian McCaffrey situation in Week 2. Despite being considered questionable entering Sunday, Brown will not play against the Falcons in Week 2. Brown was downgraded to out on the Eagles' injury report Sunday.
It appeared McCaffrey would play in Week 1 before the team suddenly made him inactive 90 minutes before the game. He was dealing with already-existing (or so we think) injury that seemed to flare up worse than it has been. This is a brand new ailment for Brown, and soft tissue injuries have high chances of recurrence, especially if rushed back too quickly.
Edwin Porras, who provides medical analysis to FantasyPoints, breaks down Brown's chances of playing from a historical context.
A.J. Brown hamstring -
— Edwin Porras, DPT (@FBInjuryDoc) September 14, 2024
Since 2018 there have been 40 instances of a WR randomly popping up as LP or DNP on the injury report on a Friday
-10/40 (25%) played
Best comps:
-2020 Julio - 25 points
-2021 Mike Evans - 15 points
-2019 C. Sutton - 8 points
-Terry McLaurin - 7 points
Eagles WR Depth Chart: Who is A.J. Brown's backup?
When someone the caliber of A.J. Brown goes down with an injury, there isn't just one plug-and-play replacement that will absorb all of his usage. With Brown out, his fantasy managers should have contingency plans set up.
Devonta Smith should slide into the WR1 role and should see a significant uptick in usage. If you'll recall, with Brown unable to suit up against the Buccaneers in last year's Wild Card round of the playoffs, Smith went off for 8 catches on 12 targets for 148 yards.
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Tight end Dallas Goedert will likely also see an uptick in usage. Goedert typically serves as Hurts' security blanket and is often the No. 3 or No. 4 option in the receiving game. While Goedert can't separate like Brown after the catch (not many can), Goedert can make contested catches like Brown. And Saquon Barkley is an additional passing game weapon that Hurts hasn't had previously, which also softens the blow a bit.
And the big question mark would be centered around Jahan Dotson, who joined the Eagles during the preseason in a trade with Washington. He was eased into action in Week 1, as he he saw one target on 30 snaps. If Brown can't suit up, Dotson could be thrust into a much larger role sooner than anticipated.
Rookie wide receiver Johnny Wilson also missed practice Saturday with a hamstring issue, and is also listed as questionable.
A.J. Brown fantasy outlook Week 2
Brown is out in Week 2, and it's unclear how much more time he'll need to return. According to NBCSportsPhilly.com, head coach Nick Sirianni spoke to reporters after Friday's practice and said, "Just got a little tight yesterday. We'll see how that goes." But then Brown was also a DNP in Saturday's practice.
Given it's only Week 2, and that the Eagles will be at home where the defense typically plays at a higher level, the Eagles probably thought sitting Brown was the best choice. It gives him another week to try and recover.
With Brown out, expect a WR1 performance from Devonta Smith as well as increased production from tight end Dallas Geodert. Jahan Dotson should see a heavy increase in both his snap share and his targets as well, which makes him an intriguing, yet volatile pickup.
