Fantasy Football Fallout: Key Takeaways Following Commanders' Trade of WR Jahan Dotson to Eagles

 

- Jahan Dotson has lost his sleeper status with the Philadelphia Eagles: He has transitioned from a potential slot receiver on a team that heavily utilizes that role to becoming one of the last options in the passing game.

- DeVonta Smith stands to benefit significantly from this trade: Smith has thrived in the slot throughout his career, and this change allows him to increase his snaps in his optimal position while Dotson takes on a role out wide.

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**Estimated reading time: 15 minutes**

### What This Means for Dotson

This trade is likely to diminish Dotson's fantasy value due to increased competition for targets.

While with the Commanders, his main competition came from Terry McLaurin, who achieved an 82.1 receiving grade over the last two seasons. He also contended with Curtis Samuel, a decent yet not outstanding receiver, and Logan Thomas, whose performance has been subpar during the same period.

Now, as the fourth option on passing plays behind A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and tight end Dallas Goedert, Dotson will have limited opportunities to impact the fantasy scene. It will likely take an injury to one of the Eagles’ top receivers for Dotson to become relevant in fantasy discussions this year, making him undraftable in most standard fantasy leagues.

### What This Means for the Eagles Receivers

While this trade may not significantly impact Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, or Dallas Goedert, it could bode well for DeVonta Smith. 

Over the past three seasons, Smith has averaged 2.48 yards per route run from the slot compared to just 1.65 yards when lined up out wide. Last season, Olamide Zaccheaus led the Eagles' wide receivers in slot snaps (304), while Quez Watkins and Julio Jones also saw over 100 snaps each. None of the remaining wide receivers in Philadelphia achieved a slot receiving grade higher than 65.0, whereas Smith recorded a grade of 77.7.

The Eagles initially hoped to have DeVante Parker as their third wide receiver, but his retirement in May shifted the dynamics. Parker primarily played on the outside, which could have meant a move for Smith into the slot.

With Dotson now stepping into a role as the third receiver for Philadelphia, he has spent 65% of his career snaps lined up out wide. Although the Commanders experimented with Dotson in the slot during preseason, Ainias Smith is likely to take the majority of slot snaps this season.

The Eagles also brought in Kellen Moore as their offensive coordinator this offseason, which may further enhance Smith's potential. Moore has a successful track record with top wide receivers, indicating a positive trajectory for Smith's growth and output in Philadelphia.

In Moore's schemes, Dallas' CeeDee Lamb usually played as the X receiver in two-receiver sets, shifting to the slot in three-receiver formations, which is optimal for PPR scoring. Lamb finished as WR19 in 2021 and WR5 in 2022.

Last season, while with the Los Angeles Chargers, Keenan Allen often played as the Z receiver in base formations and then shifted to the slot in three-receiver sets, finishing as WR8. Allen also had periods in which he took on the X role. If Smith can adopt a similar position, it could set him up for a top-10 fantasy season.