2018 NFL Draft Review: NFC East

Bruce Matson Posted On May 18, 2018

There are a lot of story lines revolving around the NFC East. The Philadelphia Eagles will be defending their world championship belt this season. On the flip side, the Cowboys are looking to rebuild their passing game on the fly after losing both Jason Witten and Dez Bryant this off-season. The New York Giants still think they’re Super Bowl contenders, and the Washington Redskins still remain one of the most confusing franchises in the NFL.

If anything, the NFC East is just one big soap opera played by guys in football helmets and padded stretch pants.

Philadelphia Eagles

Dallas Goedert, TE South Dakota State (Round 2, Pick 49)

The Eagles traded up three spots in the second round to draft Dallas Goedert. They made sure they moved up in front of the Dallas Cowboys in the draft order so they could select their man. Goedert will provide an additional dynamic to the Eagles’ offense. He was the most pro-ready tight end in this year’s draft and could develop into a key contributor within a couple of years. As far as skill sets, he has all the tools. He is a solid blocker and he does an excellent job of running routes and catching the football.

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The last time I checked, Zach Ertz is still on the roster. However, I don’t think the fact that Philadelphia has one of the top tight ends in the league on their roster is a total detriment to Goedert’s dynasty stock. It usually takes a few years for a rookie tight end to fully develop and by the time he progresses to his full potential, Ertz could be on his way out. Ertz’s current contract makes him a potential cut candidate in 2020. Even if Ertz doesn’t get cut in a few years, Philadelphia’s offense can still run two tight end sets. There’s going to be a place for him in the offensive game plan as long as he develops to his potential.

Dallas Cowboys

Michael Gallup, WR Colorado State (Round 3, Pick 81)

Dalton Schultz, TE Stanford (Round 4, Pick 137)

Mike White, QB Western Kentucky (Round 5, Pick 171)

Cedrick Wilson, WR Boise State (Round 6, Pick 208)

Bo Scarbrough, RB Alabama (Round 7, Pick 236)

After cutting Dez Bryant late into the off-season, the Dallas Cowboys needed to add talent to their receiving corps. Michael Gallup will be a tremendous addition to the team. He is the best receiver the Cowboys have right now. Don’t be surprised if Gallup leads the team in targets and receptions by the end of the season. This doesn’t mean he will easily be a WR1 or even a WR2 in fantasy as Dallas’ overall passing volume could still restrict his fantasy production.

It’s hard to believe that Jason Witten won’t be suiting up this season for the Cowboys. His departure leaves a massive hole at the tight end position. The team wanted to select Dallas Goedert in the second-round, but they got sniped by the Philadelphia Eagles. Dallas had to settle for Dalton Schultz, a blocking tight end out of Stanford, in the fourth round. Nothing is currently set in stone at tight end for Dallas and there’s a chance he could earn a role as the team’s starter within a couple of seasons. Honestly, I don’t see Schultz developing into a fantasy-relevant option and I don’t recommend selecting him in rookie drafts. Expect Dallas to try to make a move either by trade or free agency signing for another tight end.

The Cowboys made a very interesting choice in the fifth round by selecting six-foot-five quarterback Mike White from Western Kentucky. He has an interesting profile considering he has the size and arm talent to be a starter for an NFL team. White is also an accurate passer who completed 66.4 percent of his passes in this last two seasons. He will challenge Cooper Rush for the backup quarterback duties. Both quarterbacks are talented in their own regards and it should be an interesting battle in camp.

Even with the Gallup pick in the third round, the Cowboys still had a massive hole at wide receiver. The team tried to remedy this by selecting Cedrick Wilson in the sixth round to add depth to a depleted receiving corps. Wilson isn’t all-world, but he was productive at Boise State and he will get the opportunity to climb the depth chart.

With the picks winding down in the 2018 NFL Draft, Dallas had one more selection to make before they went home for the weekend. One thing the organization needed was a talented running back to play second fiddle to Ezekiel Elliott. The Cowboys decided to burn a pick on Bo Scarbrough. He’s a very intriguing prospect with astounding size-adjusted athleticism. If Elliott goes down with an injury, Scarbrough could instantly be an RB1 in fantasy.

Washington Redskins

Derrius Guice, RB LSU (Round 2, Pick 59)

While the picks kept rolling, Guice kept falling down the draft board. Eventually, a team had to pull the trigger on the immense talent. The Redskins didn’t hesitate to spend the 59th pick in the draft on him. He will be the light at the end of the tunnel for an offense that averaged 3.6 yards per carry last year. Guice should have no problem winning the lead back duties during his rookie season.

Trey Quinn, WR SMU (Round 7, Pick 256)

Jamison Crowder’s contract will expire after the 2018 season and instead of signing him to big money, the Redskins decided to prep for his departure by hopefully drafting his replacement. Quinn was a mega producer last season, catching 114 passes for 1,236 yards and 13 touchdowns. Don’t let the seventh-round draft capital sway your opinion, Quinn has enough talent to compete in the league. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s the team’s starting slot receiver within a couple seasons.

New York Giants

Saquon Barkley, RB PSU (Round 1, Pick 2)

The debate going into the draft was whether the Giants should draft a quarterback or select Barkley with the second overall pick. The team drew their line in the sand and decided to go against the analytics and take a running back with their first-round selection.

Barkley should see a heavy workload during his rookie season, making him one of the most lucrative assets in fantasy football. He should easily see close to 20 touches a game. With his ability to make things happen in the passing game, he should also be a key receiving threat.

Despite not taking a quarterback in the first-round, the Giants should be able to make a playoff run this year. If Barkley becomes the final piece to the puzzle and the team somehow wins a Super Bowl, then it will be really hard to dispute the pick.

Kyle Lauletta, QB Richmond (Round 4, Pick 108)

Lauletta sought national attention during Senior Bowl week. His strong play made him stand out amongst some of the top quarterbacks in the nation. He will be battling Davis Webb for the backup quarterback duties in training camp. Lauletta is a long-term stash in dynasty. There’s a chance that he could take over as the team’s starting quarterback once Eli Manning retires.

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Bruce Matson

Contributor at Dynasty League Football

I'm a financial counselor for a hospital in South Central Ohio. I graduated from Muskingum University with a bachelor's in business while minoring in Economics and Accounting. I won my first fantasy football title with Jake Plummer as my quarterback.