By admin 
Though he has been a number one receiver before in his career, this past Sunday was DeVonta Smith’s debut as the top receiver on the depth chart in the post-A.J. Brown era in Philadelphia.
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The Eagles pass catcher was targeted six times against Washington and hauled in three passes for 53 yards in the 24-22 home victory. One of those three catches was a spectacular 31-yard grab near the sidelines where he toe-tapped his second foot inbounds while securing the ball.
On special teams, Smith also secured possession of the ball on a late fourth quarter onside kick attempt by Washington. It was a largely overlooked play that helped put the game on ice and gave the Eagles the win.
So how did the former Heisman Trophy winner fare in his new role? After all, three catches for 53 yards is not exactly number one wide receiver material. Is Smith just a number two option posing as a number one?
Before we answer that, it must be stated that any receiver is reliant upon so many things outside of his control in order to succeed. The offensive line must provide a clean pocket for the quarterback. The quarterback must deliver the ball on time and on target. The playcaller can help the process by scheming creative ways to free up the receiver either with deception or creating favorable matchups for his pass catcher.
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A strong running game also helps a receiver’s chances of making big plays. If the run game is effective, it keeps a defense’s attention divided between penetrating the backfield and dropping back into coverage.
Philadelphia’s offensive line struggled against an aggressive, attacking Washington defense. This affected the accuracy of quarterback Jalen Hurts, who completed just 14-of-25 passes for a completion percentage of 56 percent. Running back Saquon Barkley had a decent game with 15 carries for 83 yards, but 42 of those yards came on one play. Besides one big run, Washington usually rallied to the ball for most of the game and kept Barkley in check. When all these things happen at once, it will usually lead to a quiet evening for any receiver.
I wouldn’t rule out Smith’s chances of evolving into a legitimate number one target just because of one game, but he is not there yet. The offense is a work in progress under first-year offensive coordinator Sean Mannion. Once Philadelphia’s timing and execution improve, we will see whether or not Smith can fit into that role.
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This story was originally published September 14, 2026 at 11:00 PM.