The Philadelphia Eagles had a high-powered offense last year under rookie head coach Chip Kelly, who emphasized speed, offensive snaps and the ground attack. At the center of that offensive explosion was LeSean McCoy, who finished the year leading the league in rushing yards (1,607), yards per game (100.4), and yards from scrimmage (2,146) to go along with 11 touchdowns and 53 receptions. At the ripe young age of 26, McCoy is in the prime of his career - but what if he was to suffer a major injury that cost him the season?
BUY
Darren Sproles, RB – The Eagles made a sharp move in acquiring Darren Sproles in a very cheap trade this offseason, and if McCoy was out for the year, Sproles would see even more carries and targets. Sproles may not be a banger between the tackles, but at age 31 he knows how to find space and get open. Sproles could never handle the workload that McCoy handles, but he could push for 10-14 touches a game, especially in the fast-paced Chip Kelly offensive scheme.
Zach Ertz, TE – Philadelphia would need some production in the receiving game to compensate for McCoy's 500+ yards from the passing game last season. Much is expected already for Ertz in his second season, and Nick Foles could look even more towards his big target over the middle to gain 10-15 yard chunks down the seam.
HOLD
Jeremy Maclin, WR – If McCoy goes down for the year, many would believe that the Eagles would throw the ball more and try to use the passing attack as an extension of the running game. That may sound right, but both starting wide receivers for Philadelphia (Maclin and Riley Cooper) would see more defensive challenges as teams would try and make the Eagles run the ball with Chris Polk or Darren Sproles. Even if Maclin saw a few more targets, the added coverage would wash out the extra chances.
Riley Cooper, WR – Pretty much the same story as Maclin (above), but possibly even a little worse.
SELL
Nick Foles, QB – With no DeSean Jackson and LeSean McCoy, two of Foles' favorite playmakers would be gone. Even if Chip Kelly can figure out ways for Foles to be effective, odds are that teams would play the pass more on defense and challenge the Eagles to run more with Chris Polk. It would stand to reason that Foles' fantasy numbers would take a downturn as a result. The lone upside might be more rushing attempts and yards for Foles, but that also means more chances to be injured as well.
ADD
Chris Polk, RB – Chris Polk inherited the backup role to LeSean McCoy once Bryce Brown was traded to Buffalo back in May. Should McCoy miss significant time, it would be Polk - not Darren Sproles - who would see the big uptick in playing time and workload. Polk has not seen any significant playing time in his two NFL seasons so far, but he does have some playmaking ability in his past as a tailback for the Washington Huskies. As Matt Waldman once broke him down, he is a tremendous after contact runner with the pass-catching skills of a former wide receiver. Polk would be at the top of my list of adds if McCoy suffered a serious injury.
Jordan Mathews, WR – Without McCoy, the Eagles would need a short passing game to compliment the running of Chris Polk and Darren Sproles. That likely would mean more snaps for rookie Jordan Matthews, and probably a few more targets a game. Matthews is more of a short-to-intermediate route runner, which would help extend a limited rushing attack.
Brent Celek, TE – While Zach Ertz is poised to be the starter and top receiving tight end for Philadelphia this year, Celek is a trusted and reliable veteran who can add some value as a receiver. Celek blocks better than Ertz, which will be a plus to Chip Kelly as Chris Polk and Darren Sproles will need better blocking to help fill the void left by McCoy. Celek has 12 receiving touchdowns the past three years including six last year, but his receiving numbers have gone down. The 31-year old has produced well before, averaging 60-748-3 in 2011 and 2012, and could produce respectable numbers if called upon to contribute once again.
DROP
None. Philadelphia's offense is productive enough for everyone to remain solid and productive performers, even if the overall production sees a dip without LeSean McCoy.
Questions, suggestions and comments are always welcome to pasquino@footballguys.com.