Philadelphia EaglesOur read
Written Oct 17, from his facts through last season
The case for Makai Lemon was always going to take time, and five weeks in, the time has not produced anything. Zero red-zone carries or targets out of 39 team plays in his games, zero touches inside the ten, and 10% of the air yards. Twenty-two targets at just 5.1 yards downfield means he is catching the ball where nothing ends in six points. The result is 5.1 points a game, no touchdowns, and a week 1 of 2026 low of 2.5 points. The one bright sign is the direction: 9.3 points in week 5 of 2026 is his best week so far.
Our preseason number had this season at 136 points, and the middle range of outcomes ran 109 to 162, so a slow start for a round 1 rookie was always in the range. For what it is worth, receivers drafted near his ADP of 132.1 have landed around 130 points in past seasons, with injuries dragging that group down, and our projection sat 5.1 points above it. He is 22 and learning behind DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks on the depth chart, with A.J. Brown and Smith having taken 54% of the targets in Philadelphia in 2025. Sean Mannion calling plays for the first time does not help a young receiver find rhythm.
He has played every week, so this is about opportunity, not availability. We would hold him on a deep roster and keep him benched until the red-zone touches appear.