Fantasy Football Impact: Eagles Sign Running Back Rashaad Penny

Philadelphia added a new playmaker to their backfield by signing veteran rusher and big play threat Rashaad Penny.

The Eagles have taken a flier on former Seahawks running back Rashaad Penny, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport. It doesn’t seem to be a huge fantasy move (and maybe it won’t be), but anyone who could be the starting running back for the Eagles is worth at least a mention. And with Miles Sanders a free agent, Penny is interesting.

At least for now.

Penny has averaged 6.2 yards per attempt over the last two years. That included a bust-out second half of 2021 when he was a league winner in fantasy football. The problem, of course, is that Penny is rarely ever healthy. He’s been limited to a mere 42 games over his five seasons in the NFL, and he played in just five games last year because of injuries. That’s a trend that might never change for the veteran.

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Still, you can argue that he’s the “favorite” to be the starter among the Eagles current backs ahead of Kenneth Gainwell and Trey Sermon (Sanders and Boston Scott aren’t under contract). I’d be surprised if that were the case this summer, as the team could re-sign Sanders, trade for Austin Ekeler or draft a rookie back. But for now, Penny should be on fantasy radars if you’re drafting in a best-ball league.

As for what Penny leaves behind in Seattle, Kenneth Walker proved he can handle an NFL workload in a bell-cow role and will remain a Top 12 pick in fantasy football among running backs.