Makai Lemon (hamstring) back at practice Thursday

Wicks was listed as a limited participant today, indicating that he strained his hamstring during Thursday’s practice. With DeVonta Smith (hamstring) still sidelined, rookie WR Makai Lemon could be the de facto top receiver, though the team has struggled to use him effectively thus far. Hollywood Brown (ankle) also remains sidelined.

Lemon moved up a spot in the targets pecking order with DeVonta Smith sidelined, but it resulted in the same quiet box score he posted the first three weeks of his career. The No. 20 overall pick is now sitting on 10 receptions for a scoreless 65 yards through his first four NFL appearances. There has yet to be any light at the tunnel with regards to either his usage or the Eagles’ overall offensive environment. Even with byes beginning and injuries mounting, Lemon is not a recommended WR4 heading into Week 5 against the Jaguars.

Lemon was the target on the team’s first play from scrimmage, gaining a first down on a first down play for the Eagles for the first time all season. The offense would sputter throughout the game on their way to only 47 offensive plays run from scrimmage, capping the fantasy upside of all involved in the process. Lemon has yet to live up to his lofty draft capital through the first three games of his professional career, but he could be called on for heavier work with tight end Dallas Goedert nursing an MCL sprain. Things don’t get any easier with a matchup against the Rams on deck for Week 4, where Lemon can safely be left on fantasy benches.

Lemon also “added” a -5 yard rush. Lemon’s first quarter catch ended up going down as his only target of the afternoon. He’s now stuck on four catches for nine yards through his first two NFL contests, and is getting soundly out-targeted by Dontayvion Wicks. That’s with Darius Cooper mixing in. The Eagles are calling plays like Lemon has to be manufactured his touches. Two games is not a large sample size, but it is enough to know we can’t rely on Lemon as a WR4 for Week 3 in Chicago.

It’s possible things could’ve gone worse for Lemon in his debut, but not much worse. The rookie first-rounder saw two of his four targets come at/behind the line of scrimmage, with his longest target coming eight yards downfield. Lemon’s 28 routes run were good for third-most among Eagles receivers in this one, but we would expect him to see a little more work downfield going forward. Lemon remains a bench stash heading into Week 2’s game against the Titans.

It’s a reasonable assessment for a rookie who missed valuable spring and summer practice reps due to a recurring hamstring strain. Lemon reportedly admitted that he should have been “more professional off the field” regarding the injury, and Eagles WR coach Aaron Moorehead eventually told him to do “whatever” WR DeVonta Smith did during his own hamstring rehab program. Per McManus, “coaches say Lemon attacked the mental part of the game with high intensity as he waited to get healthy.” McManus believes Lemon should get playing time right away, but Smith and WR Dontayvion Wicks will “receive the bulk of targets while the rookie gets his footing.” Lemon must be safely stashed on benches at this time.

Lemon had a rough night, but tonight’s outcome does not make him any less of a top-tier prospect. The first-round rookie was sidelined by a recurring hamstring injury for much of the spring and summer, so a rusty first showing is understandable. Lemon took the blame, on the field, for QB Tanner McKee’s interception, although it is fair to note that McKee’s pass arrived late. Lemon had broken inward, off his stem, and an open window was available to the Eagles’ backup quarterback. Unfortunately, Lemon was forced to slow down and leap for the pass, accidentally batting it backward as he attempted to high-point it. Bengals CB Tacario Davis snagged it and that was that. Davis also broke up a pass intended for Lemon on a corner route 20 yards downfield earlier in the game. He had a good night. Lemon may need to ramp up for another couple of weeks, but he remains a smart draft pick in 12-team leagues. Lemon later went back into the game to field a punt, but went nowhere with it.

Lemon returned to practice last week and was seen running with the first-team offense on Monday. Speaking with the media after Monday’s practice, Lemon confirmed that the hamstring injury he had been dealing with was in the same leg that had given him problems earlier this offseason. He’s missed a lot of time, but the rookie first-rounder has just under three weeks to get up to speed and be ready for the season opener, so we’ll see if he can get there. Lemon is worth a late-round pick in fantasy drafts, but shouldn’t be put in lineups until we see how he’s used in game situations.

The rookie first-round pick has been sidelined for nearly two weeks with the hamstring issue, as DeVonta Smith deals with his own hamstring injury. While Lemon was seen running on the side at practice earlier this week, the Eagles will probably be careful with the wideout ahead of their Week 1 game against Washington. Lemon should operate as the team’s WR2 when healthy.

The good news: Eagles GM Howie Roseman didn’t seem overly concerned that Lemon wasn’t practicing during an interview with Kay Adams on Friday. Lemon also was seen catching passes from the JUGS machine on Saturday. Still, it’s the fourth consecutive missed practice for the rookie receiver who also missed time during minicamp. Lemon is starting from behind, but it’s important to remember how long the 17-game NFL season is. The Eagles will certainly need production from Lemon at some point as the team revises its passing attack without A.J. Brown.