Saquon Barkley, DeVonta Smith Ruled Out for Eagles’ Week 5 London Game

The Philadelphia Eagles will be without running back Saquon Barkley and wide receiver DeVonta Smith when they face the Jacksonville Jaguars in London on Sunday, October 11. Philadelphia’s final Friday injury report also rules out receiver Hollywood Brown, offensive lineman Drew Kendall and safety Marcus Epps. Kickoff is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. ET.

Those are not minor absences for an Eagles offense already adjusting to personnel changes. Barkley is dealing with a hamstring injury suffered against the Rams in Week 4, while Smith also has a hamstring injury. Running back Tank Bigsby was placed on injured reserve after last week’s game. Philadelphia has an expected new lead back, a thinner receiving group and a changing offensive line for an unusual early Sunday window.

Will Shipley’s opportunity is real, but so is the risk

Philadelphia’s own injury report identifies Will Shipley as the expected primary ball carrier against Jacksonville. That is the immediate fantasy and DFS consequence of Barkley’s absence. With Bigsby also unavailable, there is a clear opening for Shipley to handle more early-down work and potentially the touches around the goal line that otherwise would have been divided among the established backs.

Opportunity is not the same as guaranteed production, though. An injured starter cannot simply be replaced in a projection by assigning his full workload and assuming identical efficiency. Shipley is stepping into a materially different situation, with injuries at receiver and on the line affecting the defenses he will face and the space available in the run game. His upside comes from a potentially much larger role; his uncertainty comes from how the Eagles can sustain drives with so many pieces missing.

The useful question for DFS is not whether Shipley will be popular. It is whether his actual contest salary and likely workload justify that popularity. Check the applicable slate in CTS NFL DFS projections before making a value call. An early London kickoff also means players must confirm which DraftKings contests include this game rather than assuming that every Sunday format does.

Dallas Goedert returns to a depleted passing attack

There is some positive news for quarterback Jalen Hurts. Tight end Dallas Goedert, sidelined since a Week 2 knee injury, practiced fully Friday and is listed as available. The Eagles’ team statistics say Goedert has 13 receiving touchdowns since the start of the 2025 season, tied for the most among NFL tight ends over that span.

That track record matters with Smith and Hollywood Brown out. Goedert has a plausible route to important targets in the middle of the field and near the end zone, but returning from a knee injury still introduces a playing-time question. A full practice and an available designation establish that he can play, not how many routes or snaps he will log. His actual usage will be more informative than an automatic target-share bump.

Dontayvion Wicks is also listed as available after being limited with a hamstring issue. Other Philadelphia receivers, including Darius Cooper, Makai Lemon and Elijah Moore, could have opportunities depending on deployment. There is no basis yet to declare any of them the guaranteed target leader. Smith’s and Brown’s absences create chances; they do not preassign receptions.

Hurts is available, but the protection question remains

Hurts appeared on the injury report with a calf issue, practiced fully Friday and is listed as available. Tackle Fred Johnson also returned to full participation and is available after missing two games. Those are meaningful positives for Philadelphia, but Kendall’s knee injury removes another offensive lineman from the Week 5 plan.

The Eagles had already entered the week adjusting up front. In a team account of the offensive changes, Philadelphia described new assignments on the line and a different supporting cast around Hurts. That makes it risky to treat the status of the starting quarterback as proof that the offense will function exactly as it did with Barkley and Smith healthy. Pass protection, receiver separation and play calling all matter when assessing his ceiling.

What changes for DFS and betting

This is the kind of news that can shift a slate before a single salary or betting line is quoted. Shipley moves into the volume conversation. Goedert’s return becomes more consequential. The wide receivers behind Smith and Brown gain potential routes, but their roles need to be established rather than guessed. Jacksonville’s defense can prepare for a Philadelphia offense with a different set of threats.

For bettors, the injury cluster is a reason to reevaluate assumptions about Philadelphia’s scoring efficiency, rushing volume and red-zone opportunities. It is not, by itself, an automatic bet on the Jaguars or the under. A wager still needs a current market number and a view of whether that price already reflects the news. The same discipline applies to touchdown and receiving props: a larger possible role is attractive only when the offered line leaves room for value.

Philadelphia also expects linebacker Zack Baun back after he cleared concussion protocol, while outside linebacker Jonathan Greenard is questionable with an ankle injury. Those defensive developments belong in a complete matchup assessment, even though the offensive absences will dominate the DFS conversation.

What to watch before the London kickoff

There are three practical checkpoints: Sunday’s active roster and any late personnel changes, the actual split of backfield work behind Shipley, and Goedert’s early involvement after his layoff. The second and third will not be fully answered until the game begins, so pregame decisions should price in uncertainty. Recent CTS usage analysis provides context on why injury-driven opportunity must be separated from demonstrated workload.

Bottom line: Barkley, Smith and Hollywood Brown are officially out. Shipley has the clearest opportunity increase, Goedert is back and Hurts is available. The injury report offers firm answers about who can play, but it does not offer a guaranteed volume distribution. That distinction should guide Sunday morning DFS lineups and betting decisions.