Eagles’ AJ Brown ruled out of home opener against Atlanta Falcons

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — For the first time since joining the Eagles, wide receiver AJ Brown will miss his regular-season opener after being sidelined with a hamstring injury for Monday night’s game against the Atlanta Falcons.

He was ruled out on Sunday afternoon, a day after a hamstring problem left him doubtful.

Brown’s absence could open up plenty of opportunities for Jahan Dotson, acquired Aug. 29 from the Washington Commanders.

“If I get opportunities, I’m going to take full advantage of them,” Dotson said in the locker room Saturday afternoon. “That’s what I was brought here to do, take full advantage of every opportunity I get.”

Dotson played 32 snaps in the season opener against the Packers but was targeted just once. Still, playing that many snaps is a reflection of how quickly he’s learned the game.

“Before the Green Bay game, I had been there for what, 7-8 days (actually 2 weeks)?” he said. “So yeah, it shows that I can learn things pretty quickly. That’s what I’ve been trying to do, and I feel like I’m getting more and more comfortable every day.”

“To be honest, I didn’t really have any expectations. I just wanted to feel comfortable and I did.”

Head coach Nick Sirianni added of Dotson: “He’s worked hard. He’s obviously a very talented player. We’ll see how it goes. But I know guys are ready when they’re called upon to play.”

Brown had five receptions for 119 yards, including a 67-yard touchdown against Green Bay last week.

He had played all 35 regular-season games since general manager Howie Roseman craftily engineered a trade with the Tennessee Titans on draft night in 2022. He missed last year’s playoff game in Tampa with a knee injury suffered on the terrible turf at MetLife Stadium in northern New Jersey in Week 18.

Brown has been the team’s leading receiver since arriving with 199 receptions for 3,071 yards and 19 touchdowns in 35 games, with back-to-back years of 1,496 yards in 2022, which set an Eagles single-season record, and 1,456 yards last year.

The Eagles had a physical on Sunday and Brown was tested and evaluated. The severity of the injury is unknown, but it could just be a precaution to make sure he doesn’t push too hard and risk tearing it, which could sideline him for a month.

There’s only a short week left to prepare for the New Orleans Saints’ visit in Week 3, though, so it’s something to watch after Monday night’s game. The Saints also ruled out top cornerback Marshawn Lattimore with a hamstring issue for Sunday’s game against the Dallas Cowboys.

The Eagles have yet to make a decision on the status of another receiver for Monday night’s game, and that would be rookie Johnny Wilson, who was also listed as questionable for their game with the Falcons.

Whether Wilson plays or not, the Eagles still have DeVonta Smith, Dotson and Brittain Covey at their disposal. The team could also bring in Parris Campbell from the practice squad.

More NFL: Eagles-Falcons: Players to watch, bold predictions and final score