Who Should I Start? A.J. Dillon or Will Shipley

Sunday, July 13, 8:38 PM

According to Geoff Mosher of the Philly Voice, Philadelphia Eagles running back AJ Dillon (neck) isn't a lock to make the team's 53-man roster. Saquon Barkley had an MVP-caliber year in 2024, and he is expected to continue handling the bulk of the snaps out of the backfield. With Kenneth Gainwell signing with the Steelers during the offseason, the Eagles had a void to fill behind Barkley. Most assumed that Dillon, who inked an agreement with Philly in March, would automatically occupy the No. 2 spot this season. However, that may not be the case, with Mosher mentioning the ascension of Will Shipley after strong showings during OTAs. There are still some things Shipley needs to improve, specifically, his size and strength. All things considered, Barkley should leave little room for anyone else to get involved from a fantasy standpoint, so Dillon and Shipley should only draw draft consideration for insurance purposes. Still, as of now, it appears it is Dillon's job to lose, although he may need to step it up throughout training camp. The 27-year-old appeared in 60 regular-season contests for the Packers, amassing 2,428 yards and 16 touchdowns on the ground. He also had 86 catches for 763 yards and two touchdowns. Unfortunately, Dillon missed all of last season due to a neck injury, which will be another thing to monitor this summer.

Wednesday, May 21, 2:38 PM

Philadelphia Eagles running back Will Shipley is expected to fill the RB2 and two-minute offense role vacated by Kenneth Gainwell, according to team reporter Jimmy Kempski. "My understanding is that the Eagles were very encouraged by what they saw from Will Shipley during practice throughout the season and in games," he wrote. The team signed former Green Bay Packers running back AJ Dillon this offseason, but he's unlikely to have much of a role unless Saquon Barkley gets banged up. Shipley, a 2024 fourth-round pick out of Clemson, rushed 30 times for 82 yards and caught four passes for 35 yards in 16 games last season. The 22-year-old can be stashed in deeper setups, but it would be a surprise if he's playable in lineups given Barkley's workhorse role. That said, he would have plenty of upside if Barkley has to miss any time in 2025, and the former Giant has missed at least three games due to injury in four of his seven NFL seasons.