How DeSean Jackson to Philadelphia Impacts Fantasy Football

Mar 26, 2019

Julio Aguilar/Getty Images

On March 11, the Buccaneers traded DeSean Jackson and a 2020 seventh-round pick to the Eagles for a 2019 sixth-round pick. Going into his 12th year in the league and turning 33 in December, Jackson remains one of the preeminent deep threats in the NFL. The following will examine how Jackson’s return to the team that drafted him changes the fantasy landscape for both Tampa Bay and Philadelphia.

DeSean Jackson’s Outlook

At this point in his career, most fantasy football players know what DeSean Jackson is—a boom-or-bust wide receiver whose booms are often just one long touchdown. Jackson hasn’t averaged 13 or more PPR points per game—approximate WR24 numbers—since 2015 and he’s scored double-digit PPR points in 15 of his 26 games over the last two years, exceeding 20 points just twice in that span.

What DeSean does do is stretch the field, and he does it well. Even at 32 years old, Jackson’s 18.9-yard average depth of target led all receivers with at least 70 targets in 2018. One of the biggest reasons for Jackson’s swings in Tampa Bay was quarterback play—Jackson ranked in the top 10 in targets of 20+ air yards last season but just 10 of those 24 deep targets were catchable, according to SportsInfoSolutions (SiS). On catchable deep balls, DeSean led the league in PPR points per target.

Even as one of the best deep threats in the league, Jackson doesn’t see the requisite volume or stay healthy enough to be a reliable plug-and-play fantasy asset. He hasn’t played a full season since 2014, missing at least two games in three of the last four seasons and he’s reached triple-digit targets just once since 2014. Jackson will continue as an inconsistent WR3 with WR2 upside, but as the 116th player off the board in post-free agency ADP, his price is palatable. His presence in an offense still impacts his teammates’ fantasy value, though.