DeVonta Smith Continues To Deal With Back Tightness

What They're Saying

McManus: “The offense is missing DeVonta Smith, who has been sidelined the last 3 sessions with back tightness. Jalen Hurts’ efficiency has gone down following a hot start. Most notably, he sailed a throw during an end-of-game situation that was picked by Eli Ricks.”

2025 Fantasy Football Impact

There’s been no indication that this is anything serious, but it’s worth keeping tabs on. It’s likely that the Eagles are being safe with their stud WR, but we’ll continue to track his practice status over the next few days. 

Smith missed three games last year, two due to a hamstring injury and one due to concussion. Outside of that, he’s been mostly healthy throughout his career. The key factor for his 2025 fantasy value, however, might not be his health, but the Philadelphia defense. 

After a rough start, the Eagles defense hit its stride starting in Week 6, transforming into an elite unit. From that point on, the Eagles ranked first in rush rate (59%), running the second-most plays while leading by 8+ points in the second half of games (162). Game script really impacted Smith’s volume, as he averaged just 6.1 targets, 4.7 receptions, and 59.4 receiving yards per game from then on. During that same span, QB Jalen Hurts averaged just 8.4 second half pass attempts per game. 

Smith’s talent is undeniable. But until teams push the Eagles to score, his ceiling will be capped. He checks in just outside the top-24 WRs in our WR rankings.