Once again, Travis Fulgham is Eagles wide receiver du jour

Carson Wentz can’t order from the menu. 

The Eagles quarterback doesn’t have that option. When he breaks the huddle, all that’s left for him is wide receiver du jour. 

Sunday in Pittsburgh, the special was Travis Fulgham. A week after making a game-winning catch in San Francisco, the second-year Old Dominion grad was a safety net for Wentz. With 10 catches on 13 targets for 152 yards, he was more than his favorite target. At times, Fulgham was the only option. 

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

Wentz was happy he had any options. 

“He showed up today,” Wentz said. “He showed the plays he made last week weren’t a fluke. He’s a baller. He made a lot of big plays. I’m proud of him. As far as chemistry with him vs. other guys, I have chemistry with all the guys. His number just got called a lot today. He made some great plays.”  

Without veteran starters Alshon Jeffrey and DeSean Jackson, in the absence of first-round draft pick Jalen Raegor, lacking the skills of No. 2 tight end Dallas Goedert, opposing defenses sell the store to take Zach Ertz off the menu. That leaves Wentz a discount pu pu platter of downfield options in the passing game.  

Rookies John Hightower and Quez Watkins, who was playing his first NFL game, were two options in Pittsburgh. JJ Arcega-Whiteside actually got his first catch of the season. Greg Ward, who is a former wide receiver du jour for Wentz, was another option.  

Ward had four catches and a touchdown Sunday. That’s 50 career catches for the former college quarterback. Hightower was targeted six times with two catches. 

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Then there was Fulgham. 

“He had the big catch in San Francisco,” Eagles coach Doug Pederson said. “He had a couple of big catches today. That something we have to continue to build on. We have to get all of our skill guys in the same position. I know our quarterback is comfortable with him. They work extremely hard during the week. It showed today.”  

A sixth-round pick in 2019 by Detroit, Fulgham played in three games before being waived by the Lions this summer. He was signed and, nine days later, waived by Green Bay. 

A day later, the Eagles claimed him. That was three transactions ago. 

“You definitely notice him,” Wentz said. “I go where the defense is. He was in the right spots on a lot of those. A couple play-action passes were designed for him. He had the hot hand today. That’s the way it was flowing today.”  

Fulgham was among the Eagles' final cuts but was signed to the practice squad to start the season. Fulgham’s 11th career transaction came a day before the Eagles played in San Francisco. Now he has 12 career receptions, a couple touchdowns and a strong case to stay in the rotation if the injured Eagles receivers ever get healthy.  

“Whenever we have free time before, during or after practice we’re working on it, working on our chemistry,” Fulgham said. “Carson is a great quarterback. He’s putting the ball on the money. I’m just trying to come down with a play.” 

Tom Rimback grew up reading the Burlington County Times and Courier Post sports sections and began writing for the BCT in 1996. He has covered everything from Super Bowls and Final Fours to Tri-County Swimming but he’s happiest on a sideline interviewing South Jersey scholastic athletes. Follow him on twitter @RimbackBCT. Email or call him with story ideas at trimback@thebct.com or 609 871-8067 and, most importantly, support local journalism with a subscription to the Burlington County Times.