After missing spring reps with a hamstring injury, first-round rookie Makai Lemon is taking first-team snaps early in Philadelphia’s training camp. Lemon enters the league backed by elite collegiate profile metrics, including a 39.2-percent College Dominator Rating (81st percentile) and a 28.1-percent College Target Share (85th percentile).
Taking immediate top-unit work solidifies his path to deliver fantasy value relative to his current top-40 wide receiver ADP. Lemon has drawn Amon-Ra comps from Amon-Ra St. Brown himself, but unlike St. Brown, Lemon has a Jalen Hurts problem and is unlikely to supplant Devonta Smith in 2026. He remains behind Tate and Tyson in dynasty rookie drafts until we see him command significant usage with the first team during preseason.
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks is coming...
The Philadelphia Eagles sent fifth and seventh-round picks ...
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks has yet ...
With A.J. Brown traded to New England, first-round rookie Makai Lemon returns from a hamstring injury on July 29th backed by an 81st-percentile 39.2-percent College Dominator Rating and an 85th-percentile 28.1-percent Target Share. DeVonta Smith assumes WR1 duties, but Philadelphia remains run-centric behind Saquon Barkley, making early camp reports critical to determine Lemon’s actual target distribution in this offense.
Lemon is well-positioned to seize the WR2 job this summer, and he is a nice value checking in as PlayerProfiler’s WR44 for 2026 redraft fantasy football leagues. Lemon’s brief dynasty league buy-low window has also officially closed.
Makai Lemon lands in a premium situation with the Philadelphia Eagles after a dominant final season at USC where he won the Biletnikoff Award. Following the blockbuster trade of A.J. Brown to New England, the 192-pound 1st rounder steps directly into a high-volume role, which may be delayed due to this lingering hamstring injury.
While his 4.53 40-yard dash time suggests capped vertical upside, his route-running and elite zone awareness makes him one of the rare high-floor rookies. Lemon is a safe pick in the mid-first round of dynasty rookie drafts but don’t overpay in best ball given his absence from team activities.
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.
Adam Schefter reports that a trade sending AJ Brown to the Patriots is expected to occur, likely involving a 2028 first-round pick as the primary compensation. Meanwhile, The Athletic’s Chad Graff suggests that Kayshon Boutte is the most probable candidate to head to Philadelphia as a roster substitution in the deal.
While the framework for the move appears straightforward, it is anticipated to take another month before the transaction is officially finalized for the 2026 season. In Philadelphia, Boutte will be competing with Dontayvion Wicks and Marquise Brown for targets behind DeVonta Smith and Makai Lemon. Boutte’s fantasy stock is about to head even lower.
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.
