Fantasy owners that took the risk investing in Darren Sproles were heavily rewarded on Monday night when the running back carried the Philadelphia Eagles to a comeback win over the Indianapolis Colts. Sproles may have only put up 26 yards rushing, but he also managed 152 yards receiving on just seven catches. He led the receiving group despite being listed as a running back. LeSean McCoy recognizes greatness when he sees it.
Sproles started chipping away at the Colts' defense, helping the Eagles get four touchdowns in the second half to secure the Week 2 win and a 2-0 start for the year. Certainly the versatility of Sproles is no surprise considering he was known for it with the New Orleans Saints and McCoy will admit that the running back gets to take all the credit for the Monday night win.
"To be honest, he's helping me out," McCoy said, via Pro Football Talk. "Without Sproles, we'd be in some trouble. I need to get my thing together. I feel like I'm not playing to my level where I should be playing. Tonight it was an average, above average game where he carried us again. It's good to have that because when you get that type of attention from the defense, other guys are making plays, and he's doing it. I don't mind at all, and the other thing is I don't feel as tired or as beat up. I had about 20 carries, two passes, not too many carries, just enough to be effective."
The Eagles acquiring Sproles might be the trade of the offseason. Philadelphia only gave up a fifth-round draft pick for the speedster and he is repaying them by ripping off big runs and getting the team into the redzone on every drive. Many wondered just how Sproles would fit in Chip Kelly's system considering the Eagles already had a lead running back in McCoy, but so far the team has found a solid balance between the two stars. McCoy was certainly no slouch on the night either as the running back had 79 yards on 20 rushing attempts along with 23 receiving yards and a touchdown.
Kelly is doing a solid job of getting the ball into the playmakers hands. Zach Ertz and Jeremy Maclin continue to be safety blankets for Foles. However, Riley Cooper and Jordan Matthews have yet to make a real impact. On Monday night, Cooper had just one catch for eight yards. He has 37 yards on the season, something that must change if the Eagles are going to remain successful.
