Eagles-Bucs Fantasy Preview

The rested Philadelphia Eagles (2-1) get to face the banged up Tampa Bay Bucs (0-4) on Sunday. With a 31st ranked defense, you can imagine that the Eagles are expected to light up the scoreboard early and often.

Tampa is currently yielding 221.8 yards per game through the air (17th in NFL) and 171.8 on the ground (30th). Teams have built early leads on the Bucs and thus turn to the ground game in the second half. We all know how Andy Reid loves to throw and continue to throw, so what can we expect out of the Eagles offensive stars?

Donovan McNabb- After a full month off, McNabb is ready to get back into a groove Sunday. He will be playing at home against a soft defense, a perfect scenario for his return from injury. If you drafted McNabb as your starting quarterback, you should insert him back into your lineup this week. With a healthy, rested group of offensive weapons joining McNabb in the huddle, look for Super Five to have a big game. Prediction: 285 yards, 3 touchdowns, 1 interception.

DeSean Jackson- The speedy Jackson continued to produce with Kevin Kolb at quarterback the past few weeks. It is clear that he is an incredible playmaker, capable of taking the ball to the house on any play. With McNabb back behind center, I expect Jackson to continue his torrid start. Prediction: 7 catches, 110 yards, 1 touchdown.

Brian Westbrook- The optimistic viewpoint on Westbrook is that he has had three weeks off, gets to face a terrible rushing defense, and is feeling completely healthy. The pessimistic viewpoint is that the Villanova product is on the wrong side of 30, cannot seem to stay on the field, and shares the workload with rookie LeSean McCoy. For this week, I expect Westy to be a solid low-end No. 1 running back. After that I would hesitate to trust him to contribute every week. Yes, he will get his big games. But he is no longer the featured player he once was. Prediction: 80 rushing yards, 35 receving yards, 1 touchdown

Brent Celek: The Eagles have not had a fantasy relevant tight end in quite some time. L.J. Smith certainly was not a reliable contributor at the position for the past several years. Enter Brent Celek. With 22 receptions, 245 yards, and two touchdowns in his first three games, Celek has stamped his name on the fantasy landscape. Even after a bye week Celek is fourth in the NFL among tight ends in yards, tied for second in touchdowns, and tied for fifth in catches. He faces a Bucs team that let Chris Cooley gain 65 yards and a touchdown, with Jason Campbell throwing to him. Expect another strong game from the first-year starter. Prediction: 7 catches, 80 yards, 1 touchdown.

LeSean McCoy: After proving that he could be a feature back in Week 3 against the Chiefs, McCoy is in line for a significant role in the Eagles offense. We already mentioned the struggling Bucs run defense, so “Shady” is a guy who can have a sneaky good game. Prediction: 50 rushing yards, 10 receiving yards, 1 touchdown

PHI D/ST: A strong, rested defense playing at home against an inexperienced quarterback (Josh Johnson)? Start ‘em if you got ‘em. Prediction: 10 points allowed, 2 interception, 4 sacks.

….And the Bucs

Cadillac Williams- Offensive coordinator Greg Olson recently stated that he is in favor of making a commitment to Cadillac as the team’s No. 1 running back. He will certainly see his fair share of work on Sunday against a tough Eagles defense. In deep leagues, your starting him. Prediction: 60 rushing yards, 25 receiving yards, one touchdown

Kellen Winslow- Traditionally, the Eagles have struggled against tight ends. So, if you drafted Winslow to be your starter and have no other option, then he is a start. However, he is not a top 10 option in my book. Prediction: 5 catches, 45 receiving yards

Antonio Bryant- Just now returning to form following a knee injury, Bryant is the best weapon for the Bucs. His value is limited due to Johnson being his quarterback, but Bryant has a knack for the end zone. Prediction: 50 receiving yards

Tags: Antonio Bryant, Brent Celek, Brian Westbrook, Cadillac Williams, DeSean Jackson, Donovan McNabb, Kellen Winslow, LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia Eagles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers