The Eagles are getting their starting quarterback back this week, at the same time they've lost another wide receiver to injury (Mike Wallace). But they're bringing in a familiar face, and he should step right in as their slot receiver.
They've signed Jordan Matthews, and although it's two teams (New England, Buffalo) and a seeming eternity ago, he was the team's leading receiver in 2016, catching 73 passes while working with rookie quarterback Carson Wentz. The Eagles have Nelson Agholor as their current No. 1, but Alshon Jeffery is still being called week to week with a shoulder injury, Wallace is on IR, and the only other options are Kamar Aiken (signed a week ago) and Shelton Gibson (who the team doesn't seem interested in giving significant chances to).
Given the current state of the receiving corps, Matthews might start -- should certainly be one of their top 3. He'll likely operate out of the slot, catching a bunch of short passes. Maybe as soon as this week.
Those passes will be short. When Matthews played for the Eagles in 2016, his receptions averaged just 11 yards per catch. That was near the bottom for all the league's wideouts who caught at least 50 passes that year.
| WR YARDS PER CATCH, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD |
| DeSean Jackson, WAS | 56 | 1005 | 17.9 | 4 |
| Julio Jones, ATL | 83 | 1409 | 17.0 | 6 |
| Marvin Jones, DET | 55 | 930 | 16.9 | 4 |
| T.Y. Hilton, IND | 91 | 1448 | 15.9 | 6 |
| Dez Bryant, DAL | 50 | 796 | 15.9 | 8 |
| Alshon Jeffery, CHI | 52 | 821 | 15.8 | 2 |
| Tyrell Williams, SD | 69 | 1059 | 15.3 | 7 |
| Brandin Cooks, NO | 78 | 1173 | 15.0 | 8 |
| Kelvin Benjamin, CAR | 63 | 941 | 14.9 | 7 |
| Quincy Enunwa, NYJ | 58 | 857 | 14.8 | 4 |
| Kenny Britt, LA | 68 | 1002 | 14.7 | 5 |
| A.J. Green, CIN | 66 | 964 | 14.6 | 4 |
| Rishard Matthews, TEN | 65 | 945 | 14.5 | 9 |
| Mike Wallace, BAL | 72 | 1017 | 14.1 | 4 |
| Adam Thielen, MIN | 69 | 967 | 14.0 | 5 |
| Dontrelle Inman, SD | 58 | 810 | 14.0 | 4 |
| Amari Cooper, OAK | 83 | 1153 | 13.9 | 5 |
| Ted Ginn, CAR | 54 | 752 | 13.9 | 4 |
| Mike Evans, TB | 96 | 1321 | 13.8 | 12 |
| Odell Beckham, NYG | 101 | 1367 | 13.5 | 10 |
| Cameron Meredith, CHI | 66 | 888 | 13.5 | 4 |
| Brandon LaFell, CIN | 64 | 862 | 13.5 | 6 |
| Marqise Lee, JAX | 63 | 851 | 13.5 | 3 |
| Brandon Marshall, NYJ | 59 | 788 | 13.4 | 3 |
| Davante Adams, GB | 75 | 997 | 13.3 | 12 |
| DeVante Parker, MIA | 56 | 744 | 13.3 | 4 |
| Pierre Garcon, WAS | 79 | 1041 | 13.2 | 3 |
| Emmanuel Sanders, DEN | 79 | 1032 | 13.1 | 5 |
| Terrelle Pryor, CLE | 77 | 1007 | 13.1 | 4 |
| Jordy Nelson, GB | 97 | 1257 | 13.0 | 14 |
| Jamison Crowder, WAS | 67 | 847 | 12.6 | 7 |
| Michael Thomas, NO | 92 | 1137 | 12.4 | 9 |
| Willie Snead, NO | 72 | 895 | 12.4 | 4 |
| DeAndre Hopkins, HOU | 78 | 954 | 12.2 | 4 |
| Antonio Brown, PIT | 106 | 1284 | 12.1 | 12 |
| Jarvis Landry, MIA | 94 | 1136 | 12.1 | 4 |
| Allen Robinson, JAX | 73 | 883 | 12.1 | 6 |
| Doug Baldwin, SEA | 94 | 1128 | 12.0 | 7 |
| Demaryius Thomas, DEN | 90 | 1083 | 12.0 | 5 |
| Robert Woods, BUF | 51 | 613 | 12.0 | 1 |
| Golden Tate, DET | 91 | 1077 | 11.8 | 4 |
| Steve Smith, BAL | 70 | 799 | 11.4 | 5 |
| Julian Edelman, NE | 98 | 1106 | 11.3 | 3 |
| Michael Crabtree, OAK | 89 | 1003 | 11.3 | 8 |
| Adam Humphries, TB | 55 | 622 | 11.3 | 2 |
| Tyler Boyd, CIN | 54 | 603 | 11.2 | 1 |
| Cole Beasley, DAL | 75 | 833 | 11.1 | 5 |
| Mohamed Sanu, ATL | 59 | 653 | 11.1 | 4 |
| Jordan Matthews, PHI | 73 | 804 | 11.0 | 3 |
| Stefon Diggs, MIN | 84 | 903 | 10.8 | 3 |
| Sterling Shepard, NYG | 65 | 683 | 10.5 | 8 |
| Jeremy Kerley, SF | 64 | 667 | 10.4 | 3 |
| Randall Cobb, GB | 60 | 610 | 10.2 | 4 |
| Tyreek Hill, KC | 61 | 593 | 9.7 | 6 |
| Larry Fitzgerald, ARI | 107 | 1023 | 9.6 | 6 |
| Tavon Austin, LA | 58 | 509 | 8.8 | 3 |
| Anquan Boldin, DET | 67 | 584 | 8.7 | 8 |
| Cordarrelle Patterson, MIN | 52 | 453 | 8.7 | 2 |
Yards per catch sometimes speaks more to how players are being used than any speed issues. Humorously, Tyreek Hill also shows up near the bottom of this list; that was them throwing him passes near the line of scrimmage and asking him to create, which doesn't always work.
But that will probably be what Matthews will do: catch some short passes, keep Wentz from getting hit too often. He merits a look in deeper leagues.
--Andy Richardson