NFL Player News

Smith secured all three targets for 16 yards in the Eagles' 24-20 win over the Cowboys on Thursday night.

As Smith's line corroborates, it was a quiet night for the speedster to open the 2025 campaign. Smith finished behind both Saquon Barkley and Dallas Goedert in receptions on the night, while No. 3 receiver Jahan Dotson outgained him by 43 yards on the same number of catches. Nevertheless, there's no question more productive days are ahead for Smith, and a Week 2 road rematch with a Chiefs team he recorded 69 yards and a touchdown against in Super Bowl LIX in February may provide just the platform for Smith's first noteworthy performance of the new season.

Goedert brought in all seven targets for 44 yards in the Eagles' 24-20 win over the Cowboys on Thursday night.

Goedert recorded a co-game-high reception total and was second on the Eagles in receiving yards on a night when Jalen Hurts threw for a modest 152 yards. The veteran tight end was peppered with a team-high target tally by Hurts as the Cowboys focused plenty of attention on A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, leading to a productive start to the campaign for Goedert. He should be involved in a complementary capacity at minimum during a Week 2 road Super Bowl rematch with the Chiefs on Sunday, Sept. 14.

Pickens brought in three of four targets for 30 yards in the Cowboys' 24-20 loss to the Eagles on Thursday night.

The big-name offseason addition didn't see Dak Prescott look his way anywhere near as much as CeeDee Lamb, but Pickens made some solid contributions in the narrow loss. The talented receiver made his first regular-season catch as a Cowboy on a six-yard grab during Dallas' opening drive, and he'd go on to draw a 34-yard pass interference penalty on Quinyon Mitchell before the quarter was over. Pickens also had a key 15-yard grab on third down with just under three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, but he was guilty of an unnecessary roughness penalty deep in Eagles territory in the third quarter on a drive that culminated in a Miles Sanders fumble. Pickens is naturally expected to settle into the Cowboys' air attack the more he plays, and a Week 2 home matchup against the Giants on Sunday, Sept. 14 could represent an opportunity for his first breakout performance.

Brown secured his only target for eight yards in the Eagles' 24-20 win over the Cowboys on Thursday night.

Brown's near shutout was alarming considering his typical importance to the Eagles' air attack, but both passing games were relatively subdued in the opener. While Brown garnered plenty of defensive attention, Dallas Goedert and Jahan Dotson appeared to be the biggest beneficiaries, and Brown finally got on the board with a timely eight-yard grab with 1:51 remaining to set up a game-sealing Jalen Hurts four-yard scramble. Needless to say, stat lines like Thursday's should be few and far between for Brown this season, and he's a virtual lock to be exponentially more involved a Week 2 road Super Bowl rematch with the Chiefs on Sunday, Sept. 14.

Williams rushed 15 times for 54 yards and two touchdowns and secured two of three targets for 10 yards in the Cowboys' 24-20 loss to the Eagles on Thursday night.

The offseason addition took the first play from scrimmage of the season for a seven-yard gain on his first regular-season carry in a Dallas uniform, a harbinger of what would be a strong debut -- albeit one that benefitted from Philadelphia star defensive tackle Jalen Carter getting ejected immediately after the opening kickoff. Williams would go on to cap off the opening possession with a one-yard touchdown run, and he added another one-yard score on the first play of the second quarter. Backfield mate Miles Sanders had the run of the night with a 49-yard scamper in the third quarter, but he'd go on to fumble at the Eagles' 10-yard line five plays later. Thursday's usage appears to indicate Williams will usually serve in the lead early-down role, and the Week 2 home opener against the Giants on Sunday, Sept. 14 will provide the next opportunity to see the backfield pecking order play out.

Prescott completed 21 of 34 passes for 188 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions while adding one rush for three yards in the Cowboys' 34-20 loss to the Eagles on Thursday night.

Prescott spearheaded the upset-minded Cowboys through a productive first two quarters that had Dallas up by a 14-7 margin at one point. The initial two drives culminated in Javonte Williams rushing touchdowns, and Prescott played mistake-free football while frequently focusing on top target CeeDee Lamb. However, Prescott and new addition George Pickens had some trouble connecting in their first game together -- albeit because of defensive pass interference in one instance -- and Lamb then failed to find the handle on a couple of the quarterback's throws in the fourth quarter, including on a perfectly thrown fourth-down lob down the left side of the field that Lamb dove for but couldn't secure. Prescott and Pickens will have some extra time to build chemistry ahead of the Cowboys' Week 2 game, which will be their home opener against the Giants on Sunday, Sept. 14.

Hurts completed 19 of 23 passes for 152 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions and rushed 14 times for 62 yards and two touchdowns in the Eagles' 24-20 win over the Cowboys on Thursday night.

As his final indicates, Hurts was near perfect through the air, but he averaged just 6.6 yards per attempt and saw top two wideouts A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith finish with a combined 4-24-0 line on four targets. However, Hurts was a force on the ground, logging the second-most carries for the Eagles behind Saquon Barkley and outpacing his fellow star by two yards for the team rushing lead while also scoring from four and eight yards out on the ground in the first half. Hurts also converted several key short-yardage opportunities, including a third-and-3 with 1:45 remaining via a four-yard scramble that essentially sealed the game for Philadelphia. Hurts completed passes to six different targets overall, and considering he only went without a touchdown toss in two games last season during which he played a normal allotment of snaps, the reigning Super Bowl MVP is likely due for much better passing numbers in a Week 2 rematch with the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 14.

Lamb secured seven of 13 targets for 110 yards in the Cowboys' 24-20 loss to the Eagles on Thursday night.

The final line is certainly aesthetically pleasing for fantasy purposes, but it's a couple of the targets that Lamb failed to corral that loom largest over the Cowboys' surprisingly close loss. The star wideout couldn't find the handle on a crisp Dak Prescott third-down throw on the first play of the fourth quarter, and he subsequently saw a perfectly timed lob down the left sideline on fourth down skirt through his hands as he dove for the ball just past the two-minute warning. Lamb did quickly get his first 100-yard effort of the season on the board, and despite his untimely drops, he'll naturally be in line for another busy afternoon when the Cowboys host the Giants in their Week 2 home opener on Sunday, Sept. 14.

Barkley rushed 18 times for 60 yards and a touchdown and brought in four of five targets for 24 yards in the Eagles' 24-20 win over the Cowboys on Thursday night.

In what was his first taste of game action since the Super Bowl victory over the Chiefs in February, Barkley often found running room hard to come by against a game Cowboys front seven. While the defending rushing champion's longest run of the night was only 16 yards, Barkley still made an impact via a 10-yard rushing touchdown shortly before halftime, as well as some productive work as an outlet receiver. Barkley was outgained in rushing yards by Jalen Hurts (62 yards), but that should be a rare occurrence moving forward. Another marquee matchup awaits Week 2, as the Eagles visit the Chiefs for a Super Bowl rematch on Sunday, Sept. 14.

Dickerson is questionable to return to Thursday's game against the Cowboys due to a back injury, Brooks Kubena of The Athletic reports.

Dickerson underwent knee surgery in mid-August, but it's instead a back injury that has caused him trouble most recently. He practiced fully Tuesday, though the issue appears to have been aggravated.