Travis Fulgham Playing Like the No. 1 WR Carson Wentz Needs

The Eagles pass-catcher stepped up his game against the Steelers

PITTSBURGH – Carson Wentz may finally have the No. 1 wide receiver he needs.

It’s not Jalen Reagor, though the injured rookie could perhaps become that.

It certainly isn’t DeSean Jackson or Alshon Jeffery, the veteran disappointments who are collecting millions while sitting out gamedays, unable to stay healthy in Jackson’s case or unable to get healthy in Jeffery’s case, as they careen deeper into their 30s.

A return on the Eagles’ huge investment from one or both would be nice sometime this year, but hey, fellas, take your time, Travis Fulgham has this.

Fulgham was one very shiny bright spot in a 38-29 loss to the Steelers at Heinz Field on Sunday, catching 10 passes for 152 yards and a four-yard touchdown. Wentz threw his way 13 times.

“He’s a beast,” said Wentz.

Just how beastly?

Well, there are the numbers, then there is this number: 106. That’s the yardage compiled by Wentz’s “other” weapons. Yep, Wentz threw for 258 yards, with 152 of them going to Fulgham.

“I’m just trying to do what I can,” said Fulgham. “If Carson throws me the ball, just come down with it and make the play. Unfortunate it wasn’t enough to get a win, but we’ll keep building on it.”

Fulgham seemingly just appeared out of thin air.

Phase three of training camp as already three days old when he arrived in Philadelphia on Aug. 20, a casualty of being released by the Green Bay Packers. He had played in three games with the Detroit Lions after they selected him out of Old Dominion in the sixth round of the 2019 draft.

No offense to Old Dominion, but the Monarchs down Norfolk way aren’t exactly some football factory that produces NFL talent, though Eagles long snapper Rick Lovato also went to ODU.

If you can play, you can play, though, and it doesn’t matter where you were groomed. And Fulgham can play.

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin wasn’t even asked about Fulgham’s game but brought him anyway in his postgame news conference.

“They had guys like 13 (Fulgham) stepping up and making combat catches,” said Tomlin. “We had guys in position.”

Asked later in the same news conference if he was familiar with Fulgham and Tomlin said, “I’m familiar with him because he’s an Old Dominion guy, and I’m a Virginia boy, but I don’t know that we are globally familiar with him. I don’t know if he has enough of a resume for us to be overly concerned about, but, boy, he made some plays, and I’ve just got a lot of respect for what he was able to do, and I thought it was worthy of mentioning.”

To become the No. 1 receiver Wentz needs more than anything, the QB and Fulgham must continue to work together.

There is tape out there now and if you look at what else the QB has, including a struggling tight end Zach Ertz, who has been a non-factor all season long, teams will try to pay closer attention to Fulgham now, starting with the Baltimore Ravens, who visit Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday.

“Whenever we have free time before, during, or after practice, we’re working on our chemistry,” said Fulgham, who is 6-2, 215, and also 25. “Carson is a great quarterback. He’s putting the ball on the money and I’m just coming up with the play.”

Fulgham said he is just executing the plays the coaches are calling and Wentz is finding him, making it all sound so easy. Except it isn’t.

Look at second-round pick J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, who had his first reception of the season and it covered 37 yards on the final play of the first half that landed inside the Pittsburgh 15-yard line. Except time ran out and the Eagles couldn’t get to the line quickly enough to spike the ball and try a field goal.

In just about a year-and-a-half, a span that has covered 20 games, Arcega-Whiteside has 11 catches for 206 yards and one touchdown.

Fulgham has 12 catches for 207 yards, and two touchdowns in just two games.

“He showed up (Sunday) and showed really last week the two big plays he had they weren’t a fluke,” said Wentz. “The kid’s a baller. He made a lot of big plays.”

That’s what No. 1 receivers do, and, as crazy as it may seem, Fulgham could be Wentz’ No 1 receiver for the remainder of the season.

“I do think that he has the skill and ability,” said head coach Doug Pederson. “It was great to see again. It’s just something that we have to sustain it each week. He had the big catch out in San Francisco, and he had some big catches (Sunday).

“It’s just something we have to continue to build on and get all our skill guys in that position. I know our quarterback feels comfortable with him. They work extremely hard during the week, and it showed.”

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