Eagles WR depth chart with AJ Brown, DeVonta Smith ruled out in Week 4 vs. Bucs

The Philadelphia Eagles will begin their Week 4 revenge game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers shorthanded. Both teams are 2-1 in what, on paper, is an exciting matchup full of bad blood, but the Eagles’ momentum could fizzle with so much talent missing on the offensive end.

In addition to AJ Brown, who was ruled out for the third straight week with a hamstring injury, Philadelphia will be without DeVonta Smith this weekend. The talented fourth-year player suffered a concussion during last Sunday’s 15-12 win over the Saints, caused by a blatantly dirty free kick.

Smith was sandwiched between two defenders before collapsing to the ground in the fourth quarter. Then a Saints defender dove needlessly on his head, after the whistle, in the kind of act you’d expect more on your local wrestling channel. That leaves the Eagles without their top two wide receivers, a shortage that most would call catastrophic.

Philadelphia has a rock-solid offensive infrastructure – a dynamic quarterback, an elite offensive line, a high-level running back, a great tight end – but the Eagles’ WR room goes deep. Maybe 2.5 deep, depending on your opinion of Jahan Dotson. Before the injuries to Brown and Smith, Philadelphia only had four active receivers on the roster. That number has been cut in half for this week.

To remedy the situation, Parris Campbell and John Ross were elevated from the practice squad to join Dotson and rookie Johnny Wilson in the Eagles’ makeshift WR room.

It’s not exactly the most inspiring setup, but it’ll have to be done. The Eagles’ pass catchers are as dangerous as any group in the NFL when healthy, but Jalen Hurts will have a lot to do this Sunday. We can expect Kellen Moore and the Eagles offense to get more creative and lean on the run, with Saquon Barkley potentially in line for 30+ touches.

The Bucs are a stalwart opponent, although last week’s 26-7 loss to Denver raised eyebrows. Baker Mayfield has been playing at a Pro Bowl level since arriving in Tampa and the Bucs’ WR room, unlike Philadelphia’s temperamental station, ranks among the best in football. If the Bucs offense finds cracks in the Eagles defense and gains momentum, it could be difficult for the Birds offense to keep pace. The margin for error with Brown and Smith out of commission is slim to none.

It will also require a clean, efficient outing from Hurts, who has thrown more interceptions (four) than touchdowns (three) so far this season. This is no time to panic over Hurts’ production, but he relies heavily on his receivers’ dynamism after the catch. Brown and Smith can make almost anyone look good. This Sunday, Hurts will have to look good on his own terms.

With kickoff at 1 p.m. ET in sunny Tampa Bay, the Eagles will look to avenge their playoff loss in January. We’ll see if injuries get in the way of good, old-fashioned revenge.