Fantasy Football: NFC East Winners and Losers

The fantasy football season is here, and drafts are starting to begin all over the country. Thousands of fantasy owners are debating and arguing over which players will lead them to a title. Even though it remains to be highly unpredictable, the NFC East is currently harboring players that will help wrack up more than a few fantasy wins. The tricky part is determining which players those are. Here are the fantasy football winners and losers in the NFC East.

Loser: Victor Cruz

At one point in his career, Victor Cruz was one of the top receivers in a fantasy draft. Since he sustained his torn patellar tendon, he clearly hasn’t been the player he used to be. This injury is known for being difficult to come back from. Cruz remained positive throughout his recovery, but an optimistic mindset hasn’t gotten him on the field. Cruz is beginning to miss practice again with a groin injury. He is currently considered to be “day-to-day.” In his absence, Sterling Shepard is emerging as the favorite to be the New York Giants’ No. 2 option at receiver.

Winner: Sterling Shepard

The hype surrounding Sterling Shepard is very real. He has been turning heads at practice, and the coaches weren’t afraid to move him to the top of the depth chart for it. Shepard currently sits ahead of Victor Cruz on the Giants’ unofficial depth chart at WR2. In the Giants’ first preseason game, Shepard made an impressive 24-yard catch.

We get it, it's preseason, but come on. This catch by the rookie @sterl_shep3 is ridiculous. #MIAvsNYGhttps://t.co/DZgYObgpbe

— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) August 13, 2016

Winner: Dorial Green-Beckham

Dorial Green-Beckham was recently traded from the Tennessee Titans to the Philadelphia Eagles. Green-Beckham clearly wasn’t valued as a member of the Titans. The coaches weren’t too fond of his work and claimed that he struggled with consistency. This trade was probably the best thing that could have happened to Dorial Green-Beckham and his fantasy football owners.

The second year wide receiver is entering the team as the second receiving option. Jordan Matthews likely will top the depth chart at receiver. However, Green-Beckham comes in at a close second. He is coming into an offense that is known for being fast past and apparently wants him to be a big part of it.

Loser: Nelson Agholor

Jordan Matthews cemented himself as the No. 1 receiving option on the Philadelphia Eagles’ roster. Nelson Agholor topped the depth chart playing opposite Matthews. Now that Agholor has to compete with Dorial Green-Beckham, his fantasy football value has decreased dramatically. The Eagles’ coaches obviously think they aren’t deep enough at receiver, and that’s why they traded for Green-Beckham in the first place. Last season, Agholor only put up 283 yards and scored one touchdown. The message has clearly been sent to the rest of the receivers that jobs are on the line.

Loser: Vernon Davis

Vernon Davis was once a viable option at tight end. His campaign with the San Francisco 49ers was nothing but impressive. At one point, Davis was even one of the best tight ends in the NFL and fantasy football. However, his production declined, and age got the best of him. Davis ended up signing with the Washington Redskins where he will mainly be used for blocking or an insurance policy. Jordan Reed is the clear-cut starter, and Davis isn’t in the shape that he used to be to compete for the starting job.

Winner: Jordan Reed

His quarterback, Kirk Cousins, got a healthy extension. Reed had a string of injuries last season including a sprained MCL, a concussion, and an ankle sprain. He was held out of the Washington Redskins’ first preseason game, which seemed to be mainly precautionary, for a sprained thumb. It appears to be that he will be fully healthy by the start of the season. He is known to be one of the better tight ends in fantasy football.

Winner: The Dallas Cowboys’ Offense

The Dallas Cowboys’ offense finally has Tony Romo back. With Romo at the helm, the Cowboys are in a position to return to form. Their running game could get back on track with rookie Ezekiel Elliott in the backfield. A consistent running game will take the pressure off Romo and minimize his chances of getting injured. Dez Bryant’s offseason surgery clearly isn’t taking a toll on him. He is the cornerstone of the Cowboys’ passing game. If Romo does get injured again, rookie Dak Prescott will be a fine placeholder for him. It’s a win across the board for the Cowboys’ offense from a fantasy football perspective.

[Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images]