DeVonta Smith

The Philadelphia Eagles traded for Dontayvion Wicks in preparation for A.J. Brown‘s departure. Like Brown, Wicks has been a notably absent from Philadelphia’s offseason practices. Projected to make just $1,145,000 in 2026, Wicks deserves a minor pay increase, but sizable extension is long-shot. Expect Wicks to report to mandatory training camp in late July.

While beat reports hyped Wicks up as the potential WR3 wideout, Devonta Smith and Makai Lemon project to be featured in the Eagle’s run-heavy system. After posting a mere 48.6% Snap Share and just 5.4 fantasy points per game last season, Wicks will be competing with Marquise Brown for a low-upside role for fantasy football. The 25-year old is best comparable to Travis Fulgham on PlayerProfiler, a highly apt comparison. Wicks is only draftable in the deepest dynasty leagues.

Jeffrey Lurie is blowing up the stale operations in Philadelphia by handing Sean Mannion total authority to install a Shanahan-style machine. Mannion plans to completely alter the structural DNA of this offense and install more under-center plays and under-center play-action passing, according to The Athletic’s Zach Berman.

Jalen Hurts is coming off a campaign where he still commanded a top-8 fantasy finish with 19.1 Fantasy Points Per Game, but will be tasked with improving his short-area passing acumen to feed tight end in Dallas Goedert and rookie Makai Lemon.

This heavy-motion paradigm shift should also be a boon for Saquon Barkley, who captured an 11.6-percent Target Share last season and is primed to recapture his 2024 fantasy football magic in 2026. Once the AJ Brown trade saga ends, Philadelphia’s fantasy projections should come in favorably for all offensive pieces.

The Philadelphia Eagles just added a high-octane Alpha to their arsenal by drafting Makai Lemon at No. 20, snagging a technical wizard whose elite body control and Biletnikoff-winning production make him an immediate nightmare for NFC East secondaries. Lemon is a verified metric darling with a massive 39.2% College Dominator Rating (81st-percentile) and a dominant 28.1% Target Share, proving he is a volume-commanding engine who can win at every level of the field despite a later 21.3 Breakout Age.

In dynasty formats, it is a tough landing spot for Lemon, who falls to a mid-to-late first round rookie pick, where he will fight to be WR2 behind DeVonta Smith in a low-pass volume offense helmed by Jalen Hurts.  This opens the WR3 conversation in this draft class.

A.J. Brown is skipping the Eagles’ offseason program as trade rumors to the Patriots intensify, though negotiations have briefly stalled. Talks are expected to ramp up around June 1 to allow Philadelphia to split his $40 million cap hit across the 2026 and 2027 seasons.

While other suitors could emerge, New England remains the clear frontrunner to land the star wideout. Brown to the Patriots is the ultimate dynasty win-win. Brown and DeVonta Smith would see a higher target share, Dontayvion Wicks truthers can keep the candle burning, and no one seriously cares about Romeo Doubs.

A.J. Brown’s future in Philadelphia for 2026 is increasingly tenuous as cryptic organizational messaging signals a likely transition at the position. While the roster recently added Hollywood Brown and Dontayvion Wicks, the Eagles are expected to target a top-100 receiver to eventually replace Brown.

Brown has demonstrated elite Yards Per Route Run and Target Share metrics throughout his career. Philadelphia is picking at No. 23 and would need to trade up to acquire a Big 3 receiver to potentially replace Brown’s route responsibilities. Regardless of who the team drafts, the moment Brown is traded, DeVonta Smith‘s dynasty value will surge, Wicks truthers would be presented with a sell window, and Brown suddenly becomes attractive weekly streamer.