Fantasy Football Impact: Saquon Barkley and DeVonta Smith Ruled Out For Week 5

The Philadelphia Eagles offensive duo of running back Saquon Barkley and wide receiver DeVonta Smith will miss Week 5, according to injury updates. This leaves the Eagles' offense vulnerable, potentially elevating other players in fantasy football relevance. Barkley is recovering from a hamstring injury he sustained in Week 4, while Smith has been dealing with a hamstring injury from Week 3.

Neither player has practiced this week. In addition to Barkley, the Eagles' third-ranked running back, Tank Bigsby, will miss Week 5 and the next three games due to a core muscle injury. This injury has the Eagles' backup running back, Will Shipley, taking over as their lead back for the Week 5 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Jaguars have one of the best rushing defenses in the NFL, allowing only 74.3 yards per game on average. This limited rushing production could benefit backup running back Will Shipley as he steps up against the Jaguars' defense. On the wide receiver front, DeVonta Smith's absence removes him as a fantasy option. The best WR fantasy starting option for the Eagles, other than their listed WR1, Dontayvion Wicks, is rookie first-round pick Makai Lemon.

However, Lemon's fantasy numbers were not impressive in Week 4, playing in just 74% of snaps and having only three receptions on six targets for 27 yards.