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Fantasy Football Injury Update: DeVonta Smith & Dontayvion Wicks Still Not Practicing, Boosting Makai Lemon's Role

DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks remain absent from practice for the Eagles. What does that mean for Makai Lemon and their fantasy football outlooks in Week 9?

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith (6) catches a pass against the Carolina Panthers during the fourth quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Philadelphia Eagles have made a QB change in Week 9, replacing Tanner McKee with Joe Milton. While the hope is for Milton to provide a spark, the strong-armed QB could be without DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks against the New York Giants.

Both Smith and Wicks were absent from Friday’s practice, which isn’t a positive indication for their statuses on Sunday. If both are ruled out, then rookie Makai Lemon would see his Week 9 outlook improve.

How does Smith and Wicks’ injury updates affect the Eagles’ wideouts from a fantasy football perspective?

All stats used in this article are from PFF or Sumer Sports unless stated otherwise. Fantasy rankings and fantasy point totals are courtesy of FantasyPros.

Fantasy Impact

DeVonta Smith, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith (6) makes a touchdown catch past Carolina Panthers cornerback Will Lee III (24) at Lincoln Financial Field. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It’s been a frustrating year for fantasy football managers who took Smith with the idea of him being the clear No. 1 option in Philly’s offense following the trade of A.J. Brown. Not only will Jalen Hurts miss the rest of the season with blood clots, but Smith has been sidelined for four of the last five weeks with a hamstring injury.

Despite missing four games, Smith is currently the WR10 in fantasy points per game (17.3) entering Week 9. Although it’s been tough keeping him on your bench, there’s maybe a chance Smith can return after the Eagles’ bye in Week 10.

Dontayvion Wicks, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks (13) gains yards after a catch as Jacksonville Jaguars safety Kaevon Merriweather (26) pursues during the first half at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Wicks has missed back-to-back games for the Eagles with an ankle injury, and it seems likely he’ll miss a third straight on Sunday. In his first year in Philly, Wicks got off to an impressive start, delivering 12-plus fantasy points in each of the first two weeks despite playing in a run-heavy offense.

It was always going to be tough for Wicks to maintain a consistent role in Philly’s offense. Even when he returns, he’s likely not worth rostering with Lemon seeing increased playing time.

Makai Lemon, WR, Philadelphia Eagles

Without Smith and Wicks on the field over the last two weeks, Lemon posted 19.7 fantasy points in Week 7 and 11.7 in Week 8. Lemon has earned eight-plus targets in back-to-back games, and he’s logged six-plus targets in five straight contests.

The uncertainty surrounding Milton does provide some hesitancy when it comes to starting Lemon in Week 9. However, given the volume Lemon is seeing with Smith and Wicks inactive, he should be viewed as a risky WR3 or flex option.

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