The Philadelphia Eagles made DeVonta Smith one of the highest-paid wide receivers in the NFL this offseason, and if Week 1 was any indication, that contract will be worth its weight in gold.
According to PFF’s fantasy football takeaways, Smith’s usage in the slot in Game 1, with new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore pulling the strings, could lead to fruitful returns for the Eagles and fantasy players alike.
Here’s what PFF had to say about Smith’s performance:
This offseason, there was speculation that Smith could play more in the slot. He studied CeeDee Lamb this offseason and has a much higher yards per route run average from the slot. It’s an important position in Kellen Moore’s offense.
While Smith didn't line up in the slot for 100% of the 11-personnel snaps, he was there for around three-quarters of those snaps, which was much higher than last season.
When Smith wasn’t in the slot, A.J. Brown often filled that role with similar slot rates to last season. Smith had a solid performance with seven receptions for 84 yards, but his usage in this game indicates that much bigger games could be ahead for him this season.
Smith was excellent in the Eagles' 34-29 win over the Green Bay Packers in Brazil. He consistently moved the chains and served as a security blanket for quarterback Jalen Hurts, who was far from his best on Friday night. Smelling blood late in the fourth quarter, Moore called a gutsy pass play, which Hurts completed to Smith for a first down that allowed the Eagles to essentially run out the clock.
The former first-round pick has been a model of consistency, with three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons under his belt. That true breakout season could be coming in 2024. Smith’s ability to line up anywhere makes him the ultimate X-factor in Moore’s offense.
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