Predictions Summary Projections by Position Projection Team Boxes

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Prediction: PHI 20, ARI 27 (Line: ARI by 2.5)

Update: Darren Sproles got in a full practice session on Friday; he’s listed as questionable, but it looks like he’ll be available so we’ve added his projections to the mix.

This is a good game to watch and will have a lot of bearing on both the NFC and fantasy this week. The 5-1 Eagles are only 1-1 in road games but tied with the 5-1 Cardinals for the second best record in the NFC. The Cardinals are 3-0 at home though.

The Eagles won 24-21 when the Cardinals visited in 2013.

The Eagles come off a shutout of the Giants which was not only big for the divisional implications but also it stopped the streak of 26+ points that they were allowing every opponent. The Eagles always score well with never worse than 21 points but their defense makes every week a shootout.

QUARTERBACK : Nick Foles started the season with three straight 300 yard games but has since cooled off significantly in yardage. He as held to only 195 yards in San Francisco with no scores and then 207 yards against the Rams. His yardage is no longer reliable more than 200 to 250 yards though he tends to throw for a couple of scores in most games.

Foles passed for 273 yards and three scores against the Cardinals last year.

RUNNING BACK : LeSean McCoy has been far less productive this year and some of that comes from Darren Sproles. But at least McCoy finally ran for 149 yards against the Giants in the last game played. Otherwise he’s been lucky enough to gain 70 or 80 yards and he rarely catches more than a single pass. Sproles was hot for the first few weeks but since is never good for more than around 50 total yards and was held to only six total yards in the last road game. Sproles is out with a sprained knee that was expected to keep him sidelined until next week but he has not been ruled out for this week. I will add him back into the projections if later warranted.

McCoy ran for 79 yards and added 36 more on five catches versus the Cardinals last season.

WIDE RECEIVER : Jeremy Maclin dominates the targets and scored in four of the first five games but bothersome is that two of his worst three efforts came in road venues. And once McCoy finally had a big game, Maclin was held to just 16 yards by the Giants because he only had three targets instead of the more normal 10 to 12. Jordan Matthews is currently stuck at four catches per week for moderate gains and no scoring. Riley Cooper is worst of all though he scored one in week five against the Rams. This unit goes through Maclin first and may not need him if McCoy gets in gear.

TIGHT END : Zach Ertz cooled off significantly after the first two weeks and is only consistent at three catches for around 40 yards per week. He scored in the recent Giants win but also only in the season opener.

Ertz caught five passes for 68 yards and two scores on the Cardinals last year.

MATCH TO THE DEFENSE: The Cardinals have held all non-Peyton Manning teams to no more than two passing scores but the yardage tends to be higher than average – high 200’s is not uncommon. But the Cardinals are great against the run and never allowing anyone to rush for more than 65 yards. This looks like another down game for McCoy even if Sproles doesn’t play. Fortunately the Cardinals biggest weakness is against wide receivers and Patrick Peterson will get stuck on Jeremy Maclin. That should spell better things for Ertz, Cooper and Matthews.

The Cardinals are getting healthy again and this week’s game is just a road bump to next week when they have to play in Dallas. This is an odd time in the NFC West with both the 49ers and Seahawks two games back and both looking far more mortal than in recent years. The remaining schedule actually plays out as one of the lighter ones in the league and these Cards are going to be hard to beat.

QUARTERBACK : Carson Palmer is back for two weeks now and in both games he threw almost exactly 250 yards and two scores each. He was intercepted last week but that was the first for the entire team this year. Palmer is taking his shots downfield but is not turning the ball over.

Palmer threw for 302 yards and three touchdowns on the Eagles in 2013.

RUNNING BACK : Andre Ellington took a shot to the ribs last week but was able to finish the win over the Raiders and will play without limitation this week. He turning in around 100 total yards or more in recent games with Palmer at the helm and his role as a receiver has grown as well. He now catches six or more passes each week.

Stepfan Taylor is purely a relief player but he was allowed both a short yardage touchdown and he caught a pass and scored as well. His typical role totals under ten yards in most games.

WIDE RECEIVER : Larry Fitzgerald’s name has been bounced around as a potential trade bait but nothing has ben concrete. He’s scored just once this year and aside from the home game against the Redskins, he’s been held under 60 yards in all other weeks. Michael Floyd caught a touchdown in the last two outings that had Palmer as the starter but he’s been held to only 47 yards in each. He started out with 100+ yards in each of the first two home games but has since been very quiet. John Brown turns in around 40 yards in most weeks.

Floyd (5-99, TD) and Fitzgerald (5-72, TD) both had no problems against the Eagles last time.

TIGHT END : No fantasy value

MATCH TO THE DEFENSE: The Eagles are soft against quarterbacks who have thrown for two or three scores on the Eagles along with decent to great yardage. The Eagles are only average against the run but generally much more accommodating when on the road. Have to like the chance for Palmer to have his normal two scores and for both wideouts to have decent to good showings this week. Ellington is also a strong start.

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