Sleeper Watch

Let’s recap for a minute… Freddie Mitchell wore out his welcome in the City of Brotherly Love and now finds himself in Kansas City, trying (and, apparently, failing) to beat out Samie Parker on the Chiefs’ depth chart. Todd Pinkston, expected to be the Eagles’ #2 receiver this season, is headed for surgery after rupturing his Achilles tendon in practice, and won’t take the field again until 2006. And Terrell Owens, Philadelphia’s top pass-catching threat, is turning the Eagles’ off-season into a Days of Our Lives caliber soap opera.

So just who is quarterback Donovan McNabb supposed to throw the football to this season?

Greg Lewis.

After seeing very limited action in 2004 (17 receptions for 183 yards, with six catches for 53 yards coming in week 17’s meaningless 10-38 loss to Cincinnati, a game in which the Eagles rested everyone right down to the first-string beer vendors), Lewis now inherits the role of #2 receiver (assuming for the moment that Owens will be willing to play). Despite only making brief cameo appearances last year, he showed flashes of talent, particularly during the playoffs when he racked up 182 yards in the Eagles’ three postseason contests, including a 30-yard touchdown in the final quarter of Super Bowl XL.

This year, Philadelphia will be counting on Lewis to make an impact right from the start. If you’re looking to add depth to your receiving corps, it might be worth checking to see whether he’s available in your league.