NFC East X factors: Wide receivers hold keys to Week 15

Lamb had six catches for 93 yards and a touchdown against the Bengals on Monday night and remains the NFL’s third-leading receiver despite the loss of quarterback Dak Prescott. If Horn can’t play up to his usual standards, Lamb will.

New York Giants | Malik Nabers (WR)

Like Lamb, New York’s top receiver is also dealing with an injury and has been limited in practice with an ongoing hip issue per Dan Duggan of The Athletic. The Ravens have had trouble covering wide receivers this year, allowing a league-high 269.4 yards per game through the air.

Nabers had five catches for 93 yards against the Saints on Sunday but failed to score a touchdown for the eighth-straight game. He’ll need at least one score if the Giants hope to keep up with the Ravens top-ranked offense.

Philadelphia Eagles | A.J. Brown (WR) and Jalen Hurts (QB)  

The two have been inseparable from a public relations standpoint since Brown put his quarterback on blast by criticizing the team’s inept passing game. Brown has seen just 10 targets over his past two games and Hurts didn’t look his way until late in the second quarter against Carolina. 

No one can blame Philadelphia for leaning on running back Saquon Barkley, the NFL’s leading rusher, in what’s already been a record-breaking season but even he could struggle in Week 15 against a Pittsburgh team allowing the fourth-fewest yards per game (91.5) this season.

That’s where Brown and Hurts come in. Hurts threw for 285 yards and a career-high four touchdowns in a 35-13 victory over the Steelers in 2022, with 156 yards and three scores going to Brown. Philadelphia isn’t about to abandon the run but Hurts will look for Brown early and often at home this week.

Washington Commanders (WR) Terry McLaurin

The Commanders will be without wide receiver Noah Brown who head coach Dan Quinn said will be “out for a while” with a "significant internal injury” during a recent news conference.

Fortunately, McLaurin is healthy and could have a big day against the Saints this week. With 896 yards on the season, McLaurin is far and away the team’s No. 1 receiver and should do enough to make up for the loss of Brown.

Washington didn’t play in Week 14 but McLaurin had eight catches for 73 yards and two touchdowns against the Titans' second-ranked defense the week before. A repeat performance could be in store against a New Orleans’ defense that’s given up the third-most yards (380.5) and fifth-most passing yards per game (246.3) in the NFL.