A.J.

Brown

The team’s Friday injury report has not yet been released but Brown’s practice participation on Wednesday and Thursday was brief, to say the least. Brown reportedly exited Wednesday’s practice after less than 10 minutes, a development that the team characterized as a pre-planned precautionary measure. Brown was then given the day off on Thursday. In speaking with reporters Friday, Brown stated that he will indeed play while acknowledging that he is “banged up, but everybody is.” The Eagles should have their No. 1 WR on-field this weekend.

Eagles beat writer Jeff McLane reports the Eagles “are limiting (Brown’s) workload so he’s as close to 100 percent as possible by Sunday.” Brown is clearly still being slowed by a knee injury that has hampered him for the last several weeks, but his absence on Thursday appears more about resting his knee than the issue worsening. Brown seems like a near lock to play in Sunday’s Wild Card Round against the Packers barring any setbacks.

Brown has been getting days off or limited practice sessions for weeks as the team carefully manages his knee issue. It hasn’t been a problem for him lately and it likely won’t be on Sunday. Beat reporter Tim McManus reported Brown left practice early with a staffer and the team later told reporters that the early exit was pre-planned. The situation seems a tad unorthodox but we have no reason to expect Brown will be be limited by this issue at this time. Getting Week 18 off was a nice bonus for Brown, and many other Philly starters as well. Brown will remain an elite fantasy option when he takes the field to face Green Bay for the opening round of the playoffs on Sunday.

Barkley’s season officially ends with a rush line of 345-2005-13. The decision to rest the star back ahead of the playoffs was expected after head coach Nick Sirianni said earlier in the week that the team planned to rest several starters in the meaningless Week 18 contests. Fantasy managers in the DFS streets can look to Kenneth Gainwell and Will Shipley as cheap streaming options against the Giants defense.

The Eagles cannot alter their status as the NFC’s No. 2 playoff seed so it seems highly unlikely that the team would allow Brown to play this week. Fantasy managers should expect him to rest unless the team explicitly tells the public that Brown will play and have an active role.

Brown missed a second-consecutive practice, and while he’s gotten rest early in several weeks prior to playing in games this year, this one is obviously difference with the Eagles having absolutely nothing to play for in Week 18 against the Giants. He still could play with coach Nick Sirianni not making final decisions, but fantasy managers should operate as if Brown won’t be playing in that finale.

The Eagles are taking a conservative approach to Week 18. All potential starting skill position players took the day off on Wednesday, though the team has also made clear that many will not suit up at all this week, even on game day. Fantasy managers should make backup plans.

Brown did most of his damage with third-string quarterback Tanner McKee under center. The star receiver lost a touchdown in the first half due to an offensive holding call but connected with McKee on a 20-yard score late in the third quarter on a nicely thrown back-shoulder pass. Brown played second fiddle to DeVonta Smith in a game that was never competitive. He’s now sitting on a 67-1079-7 line, and may not play in Week 18 with the Eagles already securing the division.

Brown played through the knee injury without any issues last week, totaling 97 yards and a touchdown on 15 targets. He got some time off in practice this week but was never at risk of missing Sunday’s game. Even with Kenny Pickett under center, Brown remains a locked-in WR1 for his date with Dallas.

It’s likely just a case of Brown getting some needed maintenance, but the fact that they include the knee in the injury report means fantasy managers need to pay close attention to Brown in the coming days. He’s coming off a Week 16 effort that saw him receive 15 targets that turned into 97 yards and a score, and he’ll likely see that kind of volume again against the Cowboys if he can go.