Monday Night Football Preview: Packers vs. Eagles

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Week 12 Monday Night Football

Lincoln Financial Field | 8:30 p.m. | ESPN

Week 12 concludes with a primetime game featuring the Green Bay Packers (4-6) and the Philadelphia Eagles (5-5) as both teams look to head in the right direction for the home stretch of the season.

Eagles preview

The Eagles started off the year with three straight wins and rookie quarterback Carson Wentz was leading the ship. Now, they are 5-5 and looking to get back into the playoff hunt. The Wentz-train has slowed a bit but he could be in line for a big day. The Packers have one of the worst pass defenses so as long as the offensive line can keep him upright, Wentz could be in for a bounce-back day.

Running back Ryan Mathews has been ruled out with a knee injury so the load will likely be split between Darren Sproles and Wendell Smallwood. It was reported that Smallwood will see a lot of action due to Mathews being out but he has a tough test going against a strong Packers run defense.

Wide receiver Jordan Matthews has been solid this season but outside of him, the wide receivers for the Eagles have been an inconsistent bunch. Dorial Green-Beckham had his best game of the season but he has been impossible to predict. The Eagles wide receivers could be in for a strong outing if Wentz gets them the ball effectively.

Tight end Zach Ertz has been a reliable target for Wentz but he just caught his first touchdown of the season in Week 11 against the Seattle Seahawks. Going against the 27th ranked defense against fantasy tight ends, Ertz should continue his strong play.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports the Eagles will limit or possibly deactivate Nelson Agholor Monday night against the Packers. Agholor is not a fantasy-relevant player, but his demotion should force Jordan Matthews to play more on the outside with UDFA rookie Paul Turner getting some time in the slot. Turner was easily the Eagles’ best receiver in training camp and fans we’re surprised he never made the final roster. He is a deep sleeper for Dynasty

The Eagles defense has shown much improvement from the 2015 season, even if they did take a step back against the Seahawks. The Packers offense is still producing inconsistently so the defense could provide some momentum if they overpower the offensive line.

Packers preview

Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has turned things around in recent weeks and is currently ranked as the QB1 in standard fantasy formats. He has posted 23 or more fantasy points in each of the past five weeks. Even though he is facing a tough Eagles defense, he is still in line for a big day.

The running back position for the Packers is a mess. James Starks figures to get the bulk of the carries but it may not be enough volume to have a solid fantasy day. Going up against a tough Eagles rush defense also is trending in the wrong direction for the Packers backfield.

Wide receiver Jordy Nelson has come back to have a solid season but the rest of the group has played inconsistently. Davante Adams has made many improvements and is ranked as the WR15 but he has games where he disappears and Randall Cobb has disappeared in more games than he has broken out. The Eagles can be beaten on the outside so that is where the Packers can do their damage.

Jared Cook returned at tight end for the Packers and led them in receiving yards with 106. He also added a touchdown for good measure. Cook faces the third-ranked defense against fantasy tight ends so it will be determined if his bounce-back performance was a fluke or if he’s here to stay.

The Packers defense got smoked by the Washington Redskins and have been beaten through the passing attack all year long. However, if they are able to provide enough pressure on Wentz, they could find themselves holding the Eagles offense to minimal points.

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