An action-packed Sunday culminates with arguably the best matchup of the season so far. The high-flying Miami Dolphins play at Philadelphia to battle the reigning NFC champion Eagles on Sunday Night Football.
Philadelphia Eagles vs. Miami Dolphins, 8:20 pm ET
Betting Odds (DraftKings)
- Line: Eagles -3, Dolphins +3
- Moneyline: Eagles (-155), Dolphins (+130)
- Over/Under: 51.5
Team Ranks (2023)
Eagles
- Points for: 25.8 (5th)
- Points Allowed: 20.7 (15th)
Dolphins
- Points For: 37.2 (1st)
- Points Allowed: 26 (26th)
Key Injuries to Watch
Eagles
- FS Reed Blankensip (Ribs) – Out
- CB Bradley Roby (Shoulder) - Out
Dolphins
- CB Jalen Ramsey (Knee) – Out
The injury report for each side during the week was long but it seems both teams are at or near full strength. The Dolphins’ star offseason acquisition on defense, Jalen Ramsey, returned to practice this week in a limited capacity. He underwent knee surgery in July, and he’s likely going to return sooner than many people expected. The Dolphin secondary has been below average, and they will get quite the boost when he makes his Dolphins debut – just not this week.
Captain Prices (DraftKings)
- Tyreek Hill, WR, $18,000
- Jalen Hurts, QB, $17,100
- Tua Tagovailoa, QB, $15,900
- AJ Brown, WR, $15,000
- Raheem Mostert, RB, $14,700
- Jaylen Waddle, WR, $12,900
- D’Andre Swift, RB, $12,000
- DeVonta Smith, WR, $11,100
Flex Prices (DraftKings)
- Tyreek Hill, WR, $12,000
- Jalen Hurts, QB, $11,400
- Tua Tagovailoa, QB, $10,600
- AJ Brown, WR, $10,000
- Raheem Mostert, RB, 9,800
- Jaylen Waddle, WR, $8,600
- D’Andre Swift, RB, $8,000
- DeVonta Smith, WR, $7,400
According to the Contrarian Edge Optimizer, Hurts is projected to be the most-owned Captain on the slate at DraftKings by a margin in over 27% of lineups. It's a bit surprising given his performance against the Jets.
Swift is projected to be the next most-owned Captain in Showdown lineups, appearing in 9.5%. Surprisingly, Tyreek Hill and Tua Tagovailoa are projected to Captain just over 7% of lineups apiece.
The flex positions are projected to be much more balanced. Tua is the only player projected to appear in over 50% of lineups, meanwhile, Hurts, Hill, Brown, and Swift are projected to be in over 40% of lineups.
The current Vegas total is set at 51.5 points. Each offense plays at a quick pace. The Eagles run first, and the Dolphins pass first. Miami is 8th in neutral pace, and Philadelphia is 13th,, so there should be no shortage of plays.
By now, you have heard the storyline that Hurts and Tagovailoa are former college teammates at Alabama and will square off in the NFL for the first time. Tua was drafted in the first round, Hurts in the second round, in 2020. Each quarterback is in the MVP conversation, and both franchises believe they are Super Bowl contenders coming into Week 7 with 5-1 records. This matchup has the potential to be a Super Bowl preview and should not disappoint.
Captain Option
With this game projected to be a shootout, it would be wise to have one of these star quarterbacks in your captain slot, but which one? The answer is Hurts.
Jalen Hurts, QB, $11,400
The Eagles appear to be a pass funnel defense because it’s so strong against the run. Tua will be under pressure all night against the Eagles’ pass rush. The Eagles’ defense projects similarly to the Bills, and that’s where we saw the Dolphins give their worst offensive performance so far. It will be difficult for Miami to push the ball downfield to Hill and Waddle.
The Eagles’ offensive line is the best in the NFL. Hurts is set up to boom, as Miami has allowed the 7th highest passer rating. The Dolphins are bottom 10 in passing yards allowed. Hurts also provides the rushing upside that Tua doesn’t.
It’s a no-brainer for me to ride with Hurts in a bounce-back spot at home in a matchup where he will play with a chip on his shoulder.
Sneaky Option
DeVonta Smith, WR, $7,400
One thing about the NFL I’ve learned is when everyone zigs, you should zag. Smith has been in the headlines for his struggles, as he’s only eclipsed 20 fantasy points once so far.
But he’s in position to get back on track against a poor Dolphins secondary. He ranks 9th in the NFL in deep targets but doesn’t have much to show for it. Miami runs a ton of zone defense, and Smith’s yard per route run increases against zone coverage.
He should see plenty of Eli Apple and he can burn him on multiple occasions. I love that Smith and his fellow former teammate at Alabama, Jaylen Waddle, will be on the same field again as well. Smith will want to show up for his quarterback.
Cheap Option
Jeff Wilson, RB, $200
Wilson hasn’t played yet this season, so expectations should be tempered. He practiced fully this week for the first time, and it hasn’t been announced if he will be activated off of IR, but all signs are pointing toward it. With rookie running back De’Von Achane out, the veteran Wilson will slide into backup duties behind Raheem Mostert. Dolphins running backs have exploded this season for 280 fantasy points combined, which is 79 more than any other team!
The SNF matchup isn’t one to get excited about though. The Eagles boast a top-three run defense and have given up just the 2nd fewest fantasy points per game to RBs. The price on Wilson, who can potentially see double-digit touches, is hard to ignore though, and gives you more options on the slate.
Prediction
This is going to be a great matchup. I believe the Eagles defense up front will eventually be too much for the Dolphins. Hurts should pick apart Miami’s zone defensive scheme, and Swift will find room to run on the Eagles zone runs. The Dolphins offense has been historic, and I expect them to keep this interesting, but ultimately, Miami won’t be able to slow down the methodical Eagles offense. Hurts gets the best of Tua in their first NFL matchup.
Final Score: Eagles 34, Dolphins 20
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