Makai Lemon Earns Starting Spot, But Role Unclear in Week 1 12hLink copied!

Sep 11, 2026, 8:10 PM ET

Rookie wide receiver Makai Lemon is listed as a starting wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles heading into the team's Week 1 matchup versus the Washington Commanders. Lemon is expected to operate out of the slot, with DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks working on the outside. Additionally, Philadelphia lists Lemon as its starting punt returner. The Eagles selected Lemon out of USC in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft (20th overall). Lemon hasn't had it easy since then. He suffered a hamstring injury in early August and missed several practices before returning to full participation on Aug. 24. He also missed Philadelphia's first two preseason games before having a rough outing in his preseason debut against the Cincinnati Bengals on Aug. 28. Lemon was also recently instructed by his coaching staff to mirror the preparation of Smith, who is highly regarded in that aspect. Now healthy and with immediate playing time available, Lemon will have an opportunity to make an early impact. Lemon's exact role is unclear, though, and it will be interesting to see whether he can make a difference early on. Lemon is currently rostered in 73% of Yahoo leagues and ranks as RotoBaller's No. 68 wide receiver. He is probably better to leave on the bench for Week 1 in redraft leagues, but is certainly worth monitoring as the season moves forward.--Ryan O'Bleness
Source: RotoBaller