Eagles' Makai Lemon named an early long shot for a postseason award

It didn't take long for Makai Lemon to enter the conversation. Not one of the obvious ones. The other one. We just can't help ourselves. Right after the NFL Draft, we begin our prognostications. Here we are in May, and the temptation forces us to look ahead to what might be said about the Philadelphia Eagles come January. Who should we be monitoring in the meantime? Rookie Makai Lemon seems to be a pretty good starting point, but when discussions shift to early projections, Offensive Rookie of the Year, for instance, conversations tend to follow a predictable script.

Quarterbacks dominate the headlines. Feature running backs get their share. Wide receivers usually need the perfect storm to break through. That's where Lemon enters. Ben Solak recently mapped out his early outlook for the postseason awards race and, while Lemon wasn't among the favorites, he wasn't ignored either.

He landed in the longshot category, a tier reserved for players who may not have the clearest path, but absolutely have the talent. That distinction alone matters. Much is expected, as it should be, and the talent is undeniable.

"Lemon is the leader in the clubhouse for WR2 behind DeVonta Smith (assuming A.J. Brown is traded), but it's tough to feel great about his potential for drawing volume on a run-heavy team such as the Eagles. However, any injury to Smith will immediately put Lemon in a position for eight-plus (and even 10-plus) targets per game, as there are no incumbent veterans (save for Dallas Goedert) in his way. He goes from an afterthought to potential leader in the clubhouse should that domino fall."

The hesitation isn't about ability. It's about opportunity, the volume question. The Eagles aren't built around one receiver soaking up targets, at least it hasn't been these past couple of seasons. With DeVonta Smith leading the room and a collection of weapons behind him, touches are expected to be spread around. Add in a run-heavy foundation, and the math becomes harder for any rookie wideout trying to stack numbers. That's simply the reality. This is a question about volume.