Philadelphia Eagles: Fantasy Footballers are buzzing about Boston Scott

Are you a  fan of fantasy football, or at least have a cursory interest in the quasi-sport? If not, this probably isn’t the Philadelphia Eagles article for you.

If you are and want to play either daily fantasy for the NFL’s 17th week or are currently in the midst of a playoff berth, then you should probably read on, as there’s an Eagles player many a non-reality footballer is buzzing about.

That’s right; we’re talking about Mr. December/The Giant Killer/the only Boston Philly fans actually like, Boston Scott.

I mean hey, it makes sense, right? The Eagles have the best rushing attack in the league, and with Miles Sanders out, Jordan Howard limited, and Kenneth Gainwell, the perennial offensive bridesmaid, many have pegged Scott as a logical focal point of Nick Sirianni‘s offense. Why not buy-low on Scott as a flex player and maybe get RB1 production out of a waiver wire claim?

Will it ultimately go that way? Honestly, who knows. How Sirianni has handled his non-Sanders snaps has been very week-to-week since fully committing to the run in Week 8 but what I can say without a shadow of a doubt is that after being an offensive afterthought at the beginning of the season, Boston Scott might just play a big role for the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 17.

The Philadelphia Eagles are finally using Boston Scott correctly.

Since entering the league in 2018, Boston Scott has often been compared to Darren Sproles.

On paper, that comparison makes some sense. Like Sproles, Scott is 5-foot-6 Rey Mysterio-type and does his damage as a change-of-pace back sneaking through a sea of giants. The New Orleans Saints initially drafted the LA Tech product in the sixth round to hopefully replace some of the production they could never quite replace since Sproles left for Philly in 2014 – Alvin Kamara notwithstanding – and the Birds surely stole him off of the Saints practice squad for that very same reason too.

Unfortunately, Scott isn’t the next Darren Sproles, but do you know what? That’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Unlike Sproles, who made three Pro Bowls and the Hall of Fame’s All-2010s Team as a special teamer, Scott has never quite transcended the ranks of being just a good return man, with Jalen Reagor, Greg Ward, and, improbably enough, Kenneth Gainwell all above him on current special teams coordinator Michael Clay’s depth chart. Scott has also never been a particularly good receiver or at least hasn’t been used like on, as he’s only averaged 1.68 targets per game over his 44 game career with the Eagles, which is 2.59 less per game than Sproles over his 61 game tenure in South Philly.

But what Scott can do, and do pretty darn well, is run the ball like a traditional running back.

You see, Scott is an explosive runner. He can squat 625 pounds, ran a 4.4 40 yard dash, and recorded a 38.5-inch vertical at LA Tech’s pro day. At 203 pounds, Scott has a stout build that enables him to embrace contact in a way very few “satellite back” typically can, and his diminutive size gives him a deceptive advantage in space, as would-be tacklers just aren’t used to demolishing a player with such a low center of gravity. This allows him to squeeze through smaller holes than a player like Jordan Howard, and almost “disappear” from a linebacker’s sightline.

If Scott was 6-foot-tall, or even just 5-foot-10, he’d have probably landed at a bigger college than LA Tech – maybe Baton Rouge’s biggest fish, LSU – been drafted on Day 2 instead of 3, and would more likely than not be the featured back in an offense. But instead, he’s a weird gadget guy that teams are still trying to figure out.

Guys, it really isn’t that hard. Remember Doug “Muscle Hampster” Martin? Just use him like that.

If Jordan Howard can go and is able to take contact without his shoulder buckling, I would imagine he will get quite a few carries in Week 17. Washington’s defensive front is clearly a strength, and I would imagine Nick Sirianni attacks that strength head-on with the biggest, strongest back he has on the roster. But even if that happens, and the snaps are split, say 45-35-10, Boston Scott should still be a vital cog in the team’s interior attack, especially in the endzone, where his size creates a surprising mismatch versus what opposing teams would typically expect. That, in a way, is what makes Scott special and why he might just help you win your fantasy football game this week.