D'Andre Swift Can Fly to New Heights With Philadelphia

Leaving Motor City for the City of Brotherly Love, D'Andre Swift will join the reigning NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles in the upcoming year.

As a running back, Swift is headed toward a very favorable situation with the Birds. In Philly, running the rock is a distinct facet of head coach Nick Sirianni's offense. In 2022, the Eagles produced 2,509 rushing yards as a team (fifth-highest in the NFL).

Once you consider the presence of a dual-threat quarterback, Jalen Hurts, and several All-Pro players along the offensive line, the potential for Swift truly skyrockets.

Swift made many impressive plays for the Detroit Lions throughout his career, but can he "fly Eagles fly" to new levels in 2023?

D'Andre Swift Fantasy Football Projection

(All projections via numberFire.)

Fantasy Points: 131.56 (167.1 in 2022)
Ranking: RB31
Stats:

• 138 carries for 615 rushing yards (4.46 yards per carry)
• 5.4 rushing touchdowns
• 44 receptions for 295 receiving yards (6.7 yards per catch)
• 1.6 receiving touchdowns
• 1.5 fumbles
• Total floor-ceiling: 107.39-155.73

D'Andre Swift Fantasy Football Outlook

Swift's play in only 14 contests last year (167.1 total FanDuel points) was good enough to be the 23rd-best running back for the second consecutive season. His overall fantasy output ranked 69th.

In all three seasons since being drafted out of Georgia, Swift has ranked within the top 25 of his position group each year.

Dual Threat Ability

As a member of Detroit Rock City, Swift found the end zone 25 total times over three NFL seasons, and 7 of those touchdowns coming through the air. Additionally, Swift has never compiled less than 350 receiving yards in a single year.

Running the ball, Swift's most recent campaign saw him produce 5.5 yards per carry behind 99 rushing attempts. Also, in 2022, Swift ran for eight touchdowns. On the Lions, he was largely splitting carries with Jamaal Williams. Now with the Eagles, Swift will take the majority of hauls in the offense.

numberFire's model does project a drop in Swift's receiving production, but don't let that deter you. In Philadelphia's offense, the running back plays a vital role alongside the signal-caller Hurts as displayed last season by Miles Sanders. With Sanders now a member of the Carolina Panthers, Swift will slide into the Eagles' open RB1 role.

In 2022, Sanders' production in Philadelphia's offense resulted in him being the RB10 by the season's end. Considering Swift's usage in Detroit, I think he stands a good chance to propel his numbers with the Birds -- especially rushing the ball. If Swift can get near the amount of carries that Sanders did a year ago (259), Swift will absolutely by within the top-20 fantasy tailbacks.

Opportunity Cost: Where Is Swift Being Drafted?

Per FantasyPros' average draft position (ADP) data, Swift's ADP is 58.5 (tied with wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr.), and he's ranked as the RB23. Positionally, that leaves Swift enveloped between Cam Akers (RB22) and Rachaad White (RB24).

Admittedly, I would feel best about Swift from that bunch. With a similar career span to Akers, Swift has scored twice as many touchdowns.

Final Verdict

It can be tricky to project a running back's production when moving from one NFL franchise to another. Still, we know Swift thrived on finding the end zone with Detroit -- both on the ground and through the air.

In Philly's offense, Swift will likely be called upon to tote the rock between the tackles more than in previous seasons. The Eagles leaned on Sanders a fair amount in 2022, and I anticipate Swift will pick up that workload this year. Remember, having a quality running game is essential for Hurts to reach his personal-best level, and when all eyes are on Hurts, Swift will have opportunities to thrive.

Despite front offices treating halfbacks like a dime a dozen, they are gold in fantasy football. The league currently features plenty of talent in the backfield. If your top RB2 options are gone earlier than you anticipated, have confidence that Swift can do well in that role.

The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.