Getty Images

The Philadelphia Eagles have kept their running back situation close to the vest, not having a clear No. 1 back the last few years like they had in Miles Sanders. The running back room is deeper with offseason additions Rashaad Penny and D'Andre Swift, along with playoff standout Kenneth Gainwell and veteran Boston Scott. 

Trying to figure out the No. 1 running back during training camp was anyone's guess. The Eagles are taking that notion up until the first snap, listing all four running backs as the starters on the team's initial depth chart. 

The first-team running backs are Gainwell, Penny, Scott, Swift -- in alphabetical order. 

"The more guys you can have that are able to do the job description the better. It's a deep group. And we'll see how it goes," Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said Tuesday. "Really, the running back room can go -- I've said this to you guys before -- the running back room can be either way. It can be by committee. It can be with one guy that's taking all the carries or a majority of the carries.

"We're excited that a lot of different guys can do it. ... So we'll see how it plays out. I can say it's by committee and then somebody gets hot, and we stick with them. We'll see how it plays out. But what I love is the depth in that room and the capabilities of the guys in that room."

Don't expect the Eagles to tip their hand heading into the opener. Gainwell is the back they trust the most in short-yardage situations and in the red zone, typically the back in the crucial down-and-distance situations. Swift has been utilized as the pass-catching back, with Gainwell mixing in with him. 

Philadelphia has been conservative with Penny throughout the preseason, yet he's expected to get a good share of the carries. Scott is the matchup back used to spell the three others. Essentially, all four will play in some capacity. 

The Eagles also don't have a punter on the active 53-man roster, but Arryn Siposs -- the punter from the last two seasons -- is on the practice squad. Philadelphia worked out other punters over the past week, yet didn't sign any of them. The Week 1 punter (and holder) will be Siposs, who can be elevated to the active roster from the practice squad up to three times before they have to either sign him or keep him on the practice squad. The Eagles didn't have a punter or holder on the initial depth chart (but it is Siposs). 

Philadelphia also has four wide receivers on the active roster, but returner Britain Covey is expected to be elevated to be the punt returner. Olamide Zaccheaus is listed as the punt returner on the depth chart, but that's because Covey isn't on the 53-man roster. Like Siposs, the Eagles can perform this action with Covey up to three times. 

The Eagles' roster gymnastics are wise, as they bought three extra weeks before making a decision on special teams regarding their punter and punt returner. As for the running back situation, don't expect it to change much -- at least on the depth chart listing.