Darius Cooper is thriving with Philadelphia’s first-team offense in the absence of Devonta Smith and Makai Lemon. Head coach Nick Sirianni praised Cooper by saying, “he has had opportunities in training camp to win on third down, and he has done that. Let’s give him those opportunities [during regular season games].” The second-year receiver pairs an elite College Dominator Rating with reliable hands in contested-catch situations over the the middle, earning the trust of Eagles coaches, and most importantly, Jalen Hurts.
While Philadelphia’s depth chart remains crowded, the target heirarchy is wide open below established alpha Smith. Cooper’s catch rate in high-leverage routes positions him to siphon a meaningful regular-season route share from Marquise Brown and Dontayvion Wicks.
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Is there an electical substation near the Eagles’ practice facility? Early-camp soft tissue injuries to alpha DeVonta Smith and rookie slot weapon Makai Lemon will delay first-year coordinator Sean Mannion’s offensive play installation in camp. Smith still projects to be Philadelphia’s primary target role after earning a 22.7-percent Target Share and a 30.2-percent Air Yards Share last season. Lemon brings upper-decile collegiate profile metrics—including a 39.2-percent College Dominator Rating—into a slot role where the coaching staff plans to scheme him touches.
Both players will remain in PlayerProfiler’s Top-50 seasonal player rankings until more details emerge about the severity of their respective hamstring strains. In the meantime, Hollywood Brown, Dontayvion Wicks and even Darius Cooper will enjoy more run with the 1s in Eagles camp. In particular, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler recently reported that the Eagles coaching staff are “really excited” about Wicks.
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.
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.
