A.J. Brown

Brown's two years in Philadelphia have resulted in the two largest receiving yardage totals in franchise history, yet his 2023 ultimately felt like a disappointment on account of so much of the production coming in September/October before the Eagles collapsed down the stretch. He ripped off six straight games with at least 127 yards Weeks 3-8, then had just two TDs and one 100-yard outing the rest of the year despite averaging 9.4 targets Weeks 9-17. The cherry on top was an absence from Philadelphia's playoff loss to Tampa -- his first missed game since 2021 -- due to a knee injury that isn't expected to impact his offseason preparations. Brown called in to a Philadelphia radio station in February to shut down trade rumors (which always seemed dubious) and then signed a three-year extension in April. He'll enter his age-27 season working under newly hired offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, who had a rough 2023 for the injury-riddled Chargers and is expected to call the plays in Philadelphia (just as former OC Brian Johnson did). Moore likely will try to keep WR DeVonta Smith more involved after the target gap between him and Brown widened considerably between 2022 and 2023, but that might be at the expense of other players more so than coming out of Brown's slice of the pie. Brown's combination of age, talent and rapport with QB Jalen Hurts would seem to make him one of the safer options among players commonly selected in the late first round or early second round of fantasy drafts.

The dominant physical skills Brown displayed in Tennessee for three seasons finally translated to dominant fantasy stats once he escaped the conservative Titans offense and joined a more balanced, spread-out offense in Philadelphia. Not only did he manage a slew of career highs, he bested his previous high-water marks by margins of 39 targets (145), 18 catches (88) and 421 yards (1,496). It was a breakout year for Brown, fellow wideout DeVonta Smith, QB Jalen Hurts and even RB Miles Sanders, all aided by an offensive line that's widely considered the best in the league. Sanders is gone now, along with former offensive coordinator Shane Steichen, replaced by Rashaad Penny and internal promotion Brian Johnson, respectively. The Eagles avoided the high degree of turnover often seen with Super Bowl participants, especially on the offensive side where Brown, Smith and Dallas Goedert have plenty of time to run routes with the help of an elite O-line and highly mobile quarterback. The only real drawback from a fantasy standpoint is that Brown probably won't quite match the volume accrued by other receivers of his caliber, instead relying on big plays and frequent red-zone trips to make another run at WR1 production.

Brown hasn't yet put it all together for a huge fantasy season, but few wide receivers command more respect from opponents. The 2019 second-round pick topped 1,000 yards as a rookie despite initially playing limited snaps, quickly becoming one of the league's top YAC threats. Maybe that shouldn't be a surprise, considering Brown turned in back-to-back 1,200-yard seasons at Ole Miss as the No. 1 receiver ahead of DK Metcalf, and later ran a 4.49 40 at 226 pounds at the 2019 Combine. While not quite on Metcalf's level for measurables, Brown combines the size and strength of a running back with the fluidity and hand-eye coordination of a top receiver. Unfortunately, those gifts were only on display part-time last year, as Brown missed four full games, nearly all of a fifth and also played at less than 100 percent health in a few others. He finished south of 1,000 yards for the season, despite having three games with at least 133 yards and a touchdown (plus a fourth in the playoffs). Now, Brown is on to greener pastures ... or at least a greener uniform. Unable to work out an extension, the Titans traded their star wideout to the Eagles, who promptly signed Brown to a four-year, $100 million contract. He joins DeVonta Smith and TE Dallas Goedert in what might be another run-first offense, though it's possible the Eagles open things up for QB Jalen Hurts now that they have weapons.

Despite missing Weeks 2 and 3 last year with knee injuries the Titans’ medical staff had initially deemed season-ending, Brown managed a second straight 1,000-yard campaign. And while he regressed from his other-worldly and unsustainable 12.4 YPT as a rookie, Brown still netted 10.1 yards per look (4th). At 6-0, 226, Brown is built more like a workhorse running back than an outside receiver. As such, he’s a load to bring down, and his 4.49 speed seems to understate his ability to take short passes to the house. Despite seeing only 12 red-zone targets (T-34th), Brown scored 11 touchdowns (5th) last year. He had surgery on both knees after the year, underscoring the severity of the injuries through which he played. Still only 24, presumably healthy in time for training camp and now in Year 3, Brown is poised for another big season — this time with Julio Jones replacing Corey Davis as his running mate in Tennessee. Jones should see more targets than Davis, at least on a per-game basis, but the 32-year-old also attracts more defensive attention, and his presence could inspire new OC Todd Downing to throw more passes than predecessor Arthur Smith. Regardless of what happens with the new guy, Brown should take the lead.

As a 22-year-old rookie, Brown was the best per-play wide receiver in the NFL last year. Despite seeing only 84 targets from the combination of Marcus Mariota and Ryan Tannehill, Brown led all rookie receivers in yards and tied Darius Slayton with eight TDs. Brown's 12.5 YPT was first among the league's 52 80-target wideouts, and his eight catches of 40 yards also tied for first. And that doesn't include a 49-yard rushing TD, the icing on the cake. At 6-0, 226, Brown is a physical mismatch for most defensive backs. He's wide, strong and explosive, and his 4.49 speed makes him dangerous after the catch once the initial defender fails to bring him down. Brown also showed excellent hands with only two drops all year. While he has ideal red-zone size, he was rarely used there - only eight targets - yet he scored nine times. The biggest issue for Brown is opportunity. Coach Mike Vrabel and OC Arthur Smith ran an offense that finished last season with the second fewest pass attempts (448). That probably caps Brown's ceiling, as it's hard to see him among the league leaders in targets, especially with 2017 fifth overall pick Corey Davis, slot man Adam Humphries and emerging TE Jonnu Smith in the fold. But the team re-upped Tannehill, the QB with whom Brown had the most success, and if anything happens to Derrick Henry, whom the team franchise-tagged in March, the sky's the limit for Brown.

Taken with the 51st overall pick in this year's draft, Brown is a good prospect in a crowded situation. Not only did the Titans sign Adam Humphries to a big deal this offseason, but they already had 2017 No. 5 overall pick Corey Davis and also get tight end Delanie Walker back from injury. That said, at 6-1, 230, Brown is a powerhouse who runs exceptionally well (4.49 40) for his size. He presents matchup problems for smaller corners, is incredibly tough to bring down after the catch and has a 36.5-inch vertical leap. The question for Brown is mostly about role - not only is there competition for targets, but Marcus Mariota's star has faded the last two seasons, and Tennessee attempted 437 passes last year (31st) in an offense that eventually was built around running back Derrick Henry.