The Philadelphia Eagles will be without one of their top weapons when they host the New York Giants in Week 8. After logging three straight absences in practice this week, the Eagles have officially ruled out star wideout A.J. Brown for Sunday's showdown, per ESPN's Adam Schefter, leaving fans to hope that one missed game plus the upcoming bye week will be enough to get the Eagles' WR1 back on track.
Brown has been the Eagles' top pass-catcher, again, this season, meaning his absence will definitely be felt — especially since Philadelphia has already lost once to New York this season. Still, head coach Nick Sirianni & Co. can't dwell on their playmaker's absence for long, and must instead focus on any Eagle who's willing to step up this weekend.
With that being said, Sunday is the perfect time for this quiet wideout to prove his worth to the Eagles and their fans.
Jahan Dotson Must Use A.J. Brown's Absence to Get Back on Track
The Eagles' passing attack has been quiet outside of Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Dallas Goedert's contributions this season, which is why it'd be great if Jahan Dotson stepped up this weekend.
The 25-year-old Dotson has been a polarizing figure ever since he was traded by the Washington Commanders to the Eagles just weeks before the 2024 season. He only ended up tallying 19 catches for 216 receiving yards without a touchdown, but a decent playoff run had Philly fans hopeful that the ex-Penn State Nittany Lion would turn things around in 2025 after a full offseason with the team.
Dotson sure seemed like he was ready to hit that next gear in Week 1, posting three catches for 59 yards in a season-opening win over the Dallas Cowboys. Since then, though, it's been all downhill. The Newark, NJ native only has four catches for 52 yards in the six subsequent contests, and is coming off a Week 7 effort where he wasn't targeted a single time despite playing 24 offensive snaps.
With Smith taking over Brown's spot as the WR1 this weekend, the Eagles need Dotson to step up. History has proven that he can handle an expanded workload, as Dotson has amassed 73 catches for 889 yards and nine touchdowns in the 17 career games where he's been targeted at least five times. Considering how he has a 110-1,368-11 stat line in 53 career outings, quarterback Jalen Hurts peppering him with passes might be the young WR's best shot at success.
Fan favorites are created when players step up in the face of adversity. Hopefully, Dotson uses Brown's absence as an opportunity to highlight his value to the Eagles, potentially opening the door for an expanded role down the stretch.