Eli Stowers Fantasy Football Impact With Philadelphia Eagles
Fantasy

Eli Stowers Fantasy Football Impact With Philadelphia Eagles

Adam Pfeifer analyzes the fantasy football impact of Eli Stowers getting selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL Draft.

After trading up in the first round to select USC wide receiver Makai Lemon, the Eagles continue to add to the offense, drafting Vanderbilt “tight end” Eli Stowers. Amidst the trade speculation (or expectation) of A.J. Brown, the Eagles just keep adding pass catchers this offseason, and Stowers gives them the most explosive field-stretching tight end they’ve had in quite some time.

Eli Stowers Fantasy Football Outlook With The Philadelphia Eagles

This is interesting.

When Stowers’ name was called, he was listed as a tight end. But he’s more of a large slot wide receiver, a position the Eagles already addressed with the selection of Lemon. Dallas Goedert’s future in Philadelphia has been uncertain over the last few seasons, but he agreed to a one-year, $7 million extension this offseason. Stowers could certainly be the tight end of the future, but is unlikely to be very fantasy-relevant as a rookie if Goedert stays healthy.

Last season, Philadelphia deployed 12 personnel 26% of the time, the 12th-highest rate in football. But because Stowers doesn’t offer much as a run-blocker, that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll be joining Goedert in those sets. The Eagles do have a new offensive coordinator (again), bringing in first-time playcaller Sean Mannion, so perhaps Stowers could be more involved in Year 1 than we think. But it’s also fair to question how many targets a slot tight end will see from Jalen Hurts, who targets the middle of the field at one of the lowest rates among any quarterback.

This fit would be a lot more interesting if the Eagles didn’t already draft Lemon, who projects to primarily play out of the slot. But the uncertainty of Mannion’s offense and strong draft capital at least offers some Year 1 potential.

Should You Plan To Draft Eli Stowers This Year

Short answer? No, probably not.

Perhaps Stowers becomes fantasy-relevant if Goedert misses time, especially with the impending departure of AJB. But this is more of a dynasty play, as both Goedert and Grant Calcaterra are on one-year deals. It wouldn’t surprise me if, at some point, Stowers headlined many waiver wire articles during his rookie season.

For now, however, consider him a very intriguing stash in dynasty leagues.

2026 Scouting Report For Eli Stowers

A former quarterback, Stowers has only three years of collegiate tight end play under his belt.

But you wouldn’t know it from watching him.

Stowers has very reliable hands (4.1% career drop rate), while the explosive play potential is there. He averaged 2.5 yards per route run, while over 30% of his catches went for at least 15 yards. At 6-foot-4, 239 pounds, Stowers has rare athleticism, running a 4.51 40-yard dash to go along with a 45-inch vertical and 1.59-second 10-yard split. It makes him a difficult matchup against opposing linebackers, which Vanderbilt often schemed up with crossing and out routes.

Of course, with a 239-pound frame being a bit light for an NFL tight end, the run-blocking becomes a concern. He doesn't have the physicality or experience to be anything more than adequate in that department, which can impact his playing time. And when it comes to tight ends, routes are paramount.

At the NFL level, Stowers projects as a Mike Gesicki, Dalton Kincaid, Oronde Gadsden prototype. Just over 70% of his routes in college came from the slot, and I’d expect similar utilization in the pros.

Players Mentioned in this Article

  1. EliStowers
    TEFAFA