Makai Lemon Lands at No. 77 With WR36 Fantasy Price
makai lemon enters Philadelphia with a clearer path after A.J. Brown was traded to New England, and the fantasy market has already moved him into the discussion at pick No. 77. The Eagles still expect the rookie wide receiver to factor immediately, with a No. 2 role opposite DeVonta Smith in play.
Brown Trade Changes Philadelphia
Brown's exit removed a heavy target load from the Eagles' offense. He had a 30% target share last season and a 33% target share in 2024-25, while Smith finished as the WR20 in PPR formats last year with a 25% target share.
That leaves Lemon in a different conversation than most rookies. He was projected to go to Pittsburgh at No. 21 in the 2025 NFL Draft before Philadelphia traded up one spot to take him, and the Eagles then lined him up for a direct role opposite Smith.
The team also added Dontayvion Wicks and Hollywood Brown in the offseason, so Lemon is not walking into a blank depth chart. He is walking into one with competition and a clear opening at the same time.
Makai Lemon Draft Slot
Lemon's college profile helps explain why he is drawing attention. He won the Fred Biletnikoff Award in his final collegiate season, earned consensus All-American honors, and finished with 79 catches, 1,156 yards and 9 touchdowns in 12 games.
Fantasy drafters are splitting the difference between ceiling and uncertainty. Lemon's Underdog ADP sits at pick No. 77 and WR36, while his consensus ranking is WR41; Dwain McFarland has him as high as WR36 and Ian Hartitz as low as WR48.
The range is narrow enough to make him one of the cleaner midround receiver debates. If the Eagles keep the No. 2 spot opposite Smith intact, Lemon's price tag already reflects the market's belief that Brown's target volume can be redistributed quickly.
Eagles Receiver Competition
Philadelphia's broader receiver picture still has a complication. Carnell Tate went fourth overall to the Titans and Jordyn Tyson went eighth overall to the Saints in a 2025 draft class that had three receivers in contention for the top spot, while the Saints paired Tyson with Chris Olave.
For the Eagles, the practical takeaway is simple: Lemon's value now depends on how much of Brown's 30% share he can absorb while sharing snaps with Smith, Wicks and Hollywood Brown. That is why he is being priced as a fantasy starter in the WR36 range rather than as a late-round flyer.
Jun 1, 2026 at 4:22 ET, then updated at 4:48 ET, the evaluation pointed in the same direction. Lemon is no longer a stash name; he is a receiver whose draft cost already reflects a real path to volume in Philadelphia.
