Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown suffered an apparent injury in the club’s Week 9 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Here’s the latest from Sunday’s game.
What Happened to A.J. Brown?
Brown was briefly evaluated by Philadelphia’s medical staff in the first half but remained in the game.
However, just after the start of the third quarter, Brown headed back to the Eagles’ locker room. Philadelphia’s offense hadn’t seen the ball when Brown departed, so he was clearly still dealing with the same first-half issue.
The Eagles subsequently announced that Brown is battling a knee injury.
Injury Update: A.J. Brown (knee) is questionable to return.
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) November 3, 2024
Brown had been targeted four times on Sunday, catching two Jalen Hurts passes for 36 scoreless yards.
The 27-year-old has already dealt with injury problems this season. Before Week 2, Brown suffered a hamstring injury that cost him three games.
He’s been incredibly productive since returning after Philadelphia’s Week 5 bye. Entering Week 9, Brown was second to only Nico Collins in receiving yards per game (102).
Brown scored a touchdown in the Eagles’ season opener before finding the end zone again in Weeks 5 and 6.
Did Brown Return in Week 9?
No, Brown did not return in Week 9’s contest.
While the Eagles initially listed Brown as questionable to return, the team officially ruled him out near the start of the fourth quarter.
Injury Update: WR A.J. Brown (knee) has been downgraded to out. https://t.co/kV6jusJUv2
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) November 3, 2024
While the Eagles were beating the Jaguars 22-0 when they listed Brown as questionable, Jacksonville had clawed back to make it a six-point game when the veteran WR was ruled out. Still, Brown wasn’t able to return to Sunday’s contest despite the close score.
After the game, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said he wanted to get more info before providing an update on Brown’s status, as he had not talked to the medical staff yet.
Philadelphia will face the NFC East rival Dallas Cowboys and Washington Commanders over the next two weeks before critical matchups against the Los Angeles Rams and Baltimore Ravens in Weeks 13 and 14.
Because Brown didn’t return in Week 9, his practice participation ahead of Week 10 will be worth watching.
Meanwhile, the Eagles could theoretically consider trading for another wide receiver if Brown’s injury will sideline him for multiple games. Pass catchers like Davante Adams, Amari Cooper, DeAndre Hopkins, and Diontae Johnson have already been moved ahead of Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline.
Fantasy Impact of Brown’s Injury
The injury to Brown could have a wide-ranging impact on this offense, but the actionable advice for fantasy purposes is limited. Jahan Dotson made a 36-yard catch in a jump-ball situation shortly after Brown left, but we’ve yet to see him be involved consistently, making him nothing more than a dart throw for depth.
When healthy, Dallas Goedert is the player who would gain the most value in this situation, with DeVonta Smith continuing to be a fine WR2. Goedert’s size profile would lead to him seeing an uptick in scoring equity, putting him in the top-8 conversation at the position.
Hurts and Saquon Barkley can’t see their value increase from where it currently stands, and there would be no reason to consider anything but the best at their respective positions.
— PFN Analyst Kyle Soppe
PFN+ Analysis on Brown’s Injury
Entering Week 9, Brown was the highest-ranked wide receiver this season according to our WR+ metric. He has been superb in several metrics, including leading the league in yards per route and per target. Meanwhile, he is second in terms of EPA per target and third in catch rate over expectation.
Brown has consistently been a top-20 WR in all of the last five seasons and has been inside the top 10 in four of the five. Brown has cemented himself as one of the best wide receivers in the league, and any absence will be severely felt by the Eagles’ offense.
— PFN Analyst Ben Rolfe