Never Too Early: Philadelphia Eagles Fantasy Football Preview

Hear that? It's the pitter-patter of fantasy football season approaching. Fantasy FanHouse is here to get you ready by previewing every team from a fantasy perspective.

Meet The ...
Personal nightmare for Donovan McNabb. Not only have the Eagles become the worst team in a loaded NFC East, but he can't stay healthy ... as much of the city of Philadelphia is now turning on him after learning of his shoulder tendinitis in mini-camp following bouts with a torn ACL, sports hernia, and bum ankle in the past few seasons. Oh, and the receivers aren't exactly All-World. Luckily he's got the ever-explosive Brian Westbrook behind him to provide stability to the offense.

The Breakout
It's tough to tag a rookie as a solid breakout candidate. They are just so unpredictable and the hype that comes with them makes them overvalued in so many situations -- I saw Calvin Johnson picked before Roy Williams last season, for example -- but DeSean Jackson is stepping into a good situation for himself here. Reggie Brown has disappointed more often than not in his three seasons, and Kevin Curtis can't be counted on as more than a big-play threat on the outside. We know Andy Reid loves the throw the football, and Donovan can still sling it with the best. Grab Jackson late and reap the rewards by midseason.

The Bust
I hate themes, but it seems like we're headed for an "Eagles' wideouts" one here, no? Yeah. Of the two bust candidates, Curtis has much higher value at this point ... making him the bust. Sure, you'll see a 30+ point fantasy game from him, but will he be in your active lineup that week after the multiple 3-pointers you sat through? That's what he does, and you can't have that out of a top-40 WR. He's not, but he's valued as one in this fantasy pre-season.

The Depth Chart
QB1 - Donovan McNabb
QB2 - Kevin Kolb
RB1 - Brian Westbrook
RB2 - Correll Buckhalter
RB3 - Lorenzo Booker
RB4 - Tony Hunt
WR1 - Reggie Brown
WR2 - Kevin Curtis
WR3 - DeSean Jackson
WR4 - Hank Baskett
WR5 - Jason Avant
WR6 - Greg Lewis
TE1 - L.J. Smith
K - David Akers

The D/ST
This group was loved by many-a-fantasy owner heading into '07, and surely exited the season hated by those same owners. The Eagles checked in at 27th in D/ST fantasy points. Jevon Kearse departed and there weren't any significant additions to the front seven. Thus, you'd expect the 36 sacks to remain relatively realistic as far as expectations go. In the secondary, the Eagles were last in the NFL (tied with the Texans and Steelers) in interceptions in '07, but they have added Asante Samuel to the fold. His six picks last year was more than half the ones the Eagles grabbed on their own. Expect his big-play ability to have an impact, and only the tough division in which they reside prevents a huge bounce-back. They're a low-end backup fantasy D/ST.

The Skinny
Outside of the dynamic Westbrook -- who is easily a top five pick -- the pickings are relatively slim here compared to what the Eagles offense used to provide. McNabb's big-time name recognition will make him overrated to inexperienced players, but the stigma around his recent injury history will make him underrated to many experienced fantasy players. Know your peers, because he's gonna finish as a top ten QB ... not top five. Don't overpay for Brown or Curtis, but they could be helpful as your fourth or fifth WR. Jackson's a good last round-type gamble, and you should ignore L.J. Smith and Akers for the most part.