Richard

Rodgers

NJ.com’s Chris Franklin noted, “there is a good chance the Eagles may bring him back.” Rodgers has bounced around the league for the past four years, though he has appeared in at least one game for Philly in every season dating back to 2018. He took the field for the Eagles three times in 2021.

Rodgers will add tight end depth behind starter Dallas Goedert. Rodgers was with the Eagles in 2020 and has familiarity with the offense. He will likely be in a purely reserve role in Week 8 against the Lions.

The Eagles now have just three running backs on their roster: Miles Sanders, Boston Scott, and Kenny Gainwell. The Eagles also waived/released DB Andrew Adams, OT Le’Raven Clark, DL Hassan Ridgeway, TE Richard Rodgers, DB Kevon Seymour, DB Grayland Arnold, OG Kayode Awosika, WR Travis Fulgham, WR John Hightower, RB Jason Huntley, DB Craig James, DL Matt Leo, OG Iosua Opeta, WR Andre Patton, C Ross Pierschbacher, DB Elijah Riley, S JaCoby Stevens, and DL Raequan Williams.

Jackson is a former college QB who, with 6'7", 249 size and 4.59 wheels, was making the transition to tight end. Jackson had intriguing upside in a system that heavily utilizes the tight end position. However, he will now likely be waived and then re-signed after the roster is cut down to 53, then head to injured reserve.

It will be Rodgers’ fourth year with the Eagles after he totaled 24/345/2 across 14 games as Zach Ertz’s and Dallas Goedert’s injury replacement off the bench last season. The 29-year-old veteran is potentially in line for an uptick in snaps since Ertz is undoubtedly on his way out prior to training camp.

Goedert was always unlikely to suit up for the Eagles’ meaningless season finale. That leaves Zach Ertz as the team’s primary pass catching tight end against Washington in what could be Ertz’s last game as an Eagle. In his three pro starts, Jalen Hurts has favored his tight ends. Hurts has thrown 34 passes to Ertz and Goedert over those three games, a combined 34 percent target share. Each tight end has seen 17 looks from the rookie signal caller. Richard Rodgers will see an uptick is snaps and pass routes if Goedert is sidelined.

Cleveland continues to bleed fantasy production to tight ends, with Dallas Goedert catching five balls for 77 yards and a score in Week 12. Rodgers won’t be fantasy relevant when Zach Ertz finally returns from injury. Until then, Rodgers is a reasonable streaming option in tight end premium formats.

In a damning development for the entire Eagles franchise, Rodgers was the team’s leading pass catcher in Week 10. Rodgers can 11 pass routes to Dallas Goedert’s 33 routes against the Giants. Goedert out-targeted Rodgers but had just 33 yards. Fantasy players should only roster Rodgers as a fringe starting option in tight end premium leagues.

Making his first of many spot starts in place of injured Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert, Rodgers posted his most yards since Dec. 2015 when he was still with the Packers. In fact, it was the second most yards of his career, as well as 15 more than Ertz has managed in any 2020 appearance. That’s how much Carson Wentz likes targeting tight ends. Rodgers exemplifies the “catch-and-fall” skill-set at this stage of his career, but considering the sorry state of the tight end position, he will have some TE1 streamer appeal for next week’s golden matchup with the Cowboys.

NFL Network’s Mike Garofolo described the injury as a high-ankle sprain that would put Ertz’s return date sometime around Thanksgiving. It’s a few weeks longer than the original recovery time frame of 3-4 weeks. Ertz drafters should be working the waiver wire for streaming tight end options in the meantime. Richard Rodgers, the Eagles’ new No. 1 tight end, is a borderline option Thursday night against the Giants.