With Eagles' training camp in the books, and the regular season almost here, it is time to take a deep dive into how each unit looked during the two-week session open to the media.
Today, the much-talked about wide receivers:
(Receivers are ranked by targets)
1. Greg Ward: 38 targets, 27 targets, 4 TD, 1 Drop
In a group with tons of question marks, tons of upside but also tons of risk, it isn't surprising that Ward came in with the most targets of camp. Ward is not yet an elite-level player like Zach Ertz, but he is in many ways the Ertz of the receiver group. Carson Wentz trusts him, he is dependable and he runs great routes. It would not be surprising at all if Ward catches 4-5 passes each week and plays a large portion of the snaps on offense.
2. J.J. Arcega-Whiteside: 28 targets, 18 catches, 1 TD, 1 Drop
Arcega-Whiteside coming in with the second-most targets among the receivers is impressive considering he missed the start of camp due to a lower-body injury. Arcega-Whiteside more than many up for it, however, turning in a very impressive final 10-days of practices. Eagles coaches had to be encouraged by Arcega-Whiteside making contested catches, something they brought him to Philadelphia to do, but didn't see much of last season. The second-year receiver had one of the best catches of camp when he out jumped two cornerbacks along the sideline to bring in about a 20-yard completion from Carson Wentz.
While there should be some excitement about Arcega-Whiteside's performance in camp, his strong summer shouldn't fall in the same category of optimism as the rookie receivers. Arcega-Whiteside got a chance last year to show he could play, especially down the stretch when the team badly needed him. He didn't get the job done. That isn't the case for other young receivers like John Hightower, Quez Watkins or even Deontay Burnett, who also had strong camps, and haven't had a chance yet as a full-time starter with the team.
It is absolutely possible that Arcega-Whiteside has improved and is ready to put a bad rookie year behind him. Until he shows he can do it in a game, however, coaches shouldn't get too worked up about what they are seeing in practice.
3. Deontay Burnett: 27 targets, 24 catches, 5 TD
No receiver had a better training camp than Burnett. There wasn't a day that went by when the third-year player didn't make an impressive catch, and that shows in his stats, as he caught 88% of his targets and pulled in five touchdowns. Burnett lined up both on the outside and in the slot, showing impressive speed and great hands, not dropping a single pass.
More than any other player in camp, at any position, Burnett earned his way onto the roster with his play. He might have made it prior to Jalen Reagor suffering a shoulder injury, but now, he should be considered a lock to make the team.
4. Jalen Reagor: 27 targets, 18 catches, 2 TD
Prior to his shoulder injury it was very obvious that Reagor was going to end up being a big part of the Eagles' offense. He was getting a lot of first-team snaps, even with DeSean Jackson was on the field, and was being used in a variety of ways. He was already displaying great chemistry with Wentz, and although the two never connected on a deep ball, they did plenty of damage over the middle of the field. Reagor looked the part of a first-round receiver that was ready to make an impact.
Now, the question is when he will be back on the field, and how effective he will be once he is. It is likely that Reagor misses at least the first two games, and potentially the third. Getting Reagor as much experience as possible this season should be a top priority, so the Eagles need to hope this isn't an injury that lingers and costs him valuable time in his rookie season.
5. John Hightower: 23 targets, 15 catches, 6 TD
Hightower was right there with Burnett for best camp among the receivers. Unlike Burnett, however, Hightower likely earned himself some guaranteed snaps in Week 1. Hightower didn't have as many catches, targets or touchdowns as Burnett, but he did do something on a consistent basis no other receiver did — get behind the defense. Hightower had three five catches over 40-yards, three of which went for touchdowns, including a 75-yard score during the team's scrimmage.
Look for the Eagles to try to hit Hightower deep at least once in their Week 1 matchup with Washington.
6. Quez Watkins: 23 targets, 13 catches, 5 TD, 2 Drops
Watkins started off hot in training camp, catching four touchdowns in the first two practices. He looked especially good in the red zone, where his speed made it tough for opposing defensive backs to stick with him. Watkins was getting plenty of first-team reps and seemed to be the rookie receiver most ready to make an impact.
Over the second-half of camp, however, Watkins fell off a bit while Hightower, Burnett and Arcega-Whiteside kept making plays. Part of the reason Watkins' stock dropped a little bit was an upper body injury that sidelined him. Watkins will almost certainly make the team, but it wouldn't be surprising to see him not as involved in Week 1 as the other receivers.
7. DeSean Jackson: 21 targets, 13 catches, 1 TD
Doug Pederson trusts his veterans to know how to get ready for the start of the season, and that was certainly the case with Jackson, who was in-and-out of team reps throughout camp. That strategy makes sense — Jackson knows what he needs to do to be ready for Week 1, and considering his age and injury history, resisting him over risking injury in camp seems like the wise move. Jackson and Wentz did connect on one long-touchdown, proving once again that as long as Jackson is on the field, he is a threat.
8. Travis Fulgham: 19 targets, 9 catches, 1 TD, 1 Drop
A late addition to the roster, Fulgham actually played pretty well, making a few nice catches and getting far more targets than the other bottom-of-the-roster receivers. There is a very good chance he is back on the practice squad, and it wouldn't be shocking if he was added to the active roster at some point this season.
9. Manasseh Bailey: 8 targets, 5 catches, 2 TD
Bailey was having a very quiet camp until he changed that in a major way on the final day of practice, pulling in a 99-yard touchdown from Jalen Hurts. Bailey will succeed in the NFL if he can show he has the speed to get behind defenses, which he certainly did on that play. Bailey should be back on the practice squad, but is likely still a year away from seriously competing for a roster spot.
10. Marcus Green: 7 targets, 4 catches
It is tough to make a case for Green to be either on the active roster or on the practice squad, as he didn't do much in camp, and didn't do enough last season either to make his way onto the 53-man roster.
You can reach Eliot Shorr-Parks on Twitter at @EliotShorrParks or email him at esp@94wip.com!
