The Philadelphia Eagles made DeVonta Smith one of the highest-paid wide receivers in the NFL this offseason, and if Week 1 was any indication, this contract is worth its weight in gold.

According to PFF’s fantasy football takeaways, Smith’s use in the slot in Game 1, with new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore pulling the strings, could result in lucrative returns for both the Eagles and fantasy players.

This is what PFF had to say about Smith’s performance:

There was speculation this offseason that Smith might play more in the slot. He studied CeeDee Lamb this offseason and has a much higher average of yards per route run from the slot. It’s an important position in Kellen Moore’s offense.

Although Smith did not play in the slot for 100% of the 11-personnel snaps, he played in about three-quarters of those snaps, which was significantly more than last season.

When Smith was out of the slot, AJ Brown often filled that role with similar slot rates to last season. Smith had a solid performance with seven receptions for 84 yards, but his use in this game suggests there could be much bigger games ahead for him this season.

Smith was outstanding in the Eagles’ 34-29 win over the Green Bay Packers in Brazil, consistently moving the chains and serving as a safety net for quarterback Jalen Hurts, who was far from his best Friday night. Smelling blood late in the fourth quarter, Moore called a bold pass play that Hurts completed to Smith for a first down, essentially letting the Eagles run out the clock.

The former first-round pick has been a model of consistency, posting three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons, and his real breakout season could come in 2024. Smith’s ability to play anywhere makes him the ultimate X-factor in Moore’s offense.

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