Eagles Promote Elijah Mitchell, Cut Blue and Steele With Barkley Hurt

The Eagles spent Tuesday cleaning up a backfield that's thinner than anyone in Philadelphia wants it to be. They signed Elijah Mitchell off the practice squad to the active roster and cut loose both Jaydon Blue and Carson Steele, with Steele waived under an injury designation after hurting his shoulder in Week 6. The timing isn't subtle: Saquon Barkley has now missed two straight games with a hamstring issue.

Mitchell is the name worth knowing here. He originally joined Philadelphia this offseason, got cut in August, and bounced back to the practice squad. His track record isn't nothing — he logged 327 carries for 1,523 yards and nine touchdowns across three seasons with the 49ers before a one-game cameo with the Chiefs last year. That's a real NFL résumé, even if the recent usage has been close to zero.

Blue's departure is the more surprising cut on paper. He'd just been elevated to the active roster ahead of last Sunday's loss to the Panthers, then never saw the field. He exits carrying our #279 overall rank (#63 at RB) and a modest 20 PPR points across five games in 2025. Steele, meanwhile, managed one catch for four yards against Carolina before the shoulder ended his Eagles run.

What's Left in the Backfield

With Barkley sidelined, the Eagles' healthy stable now reads Dameon Pierce, Elijah Mitchell, and whatever Barkley can give once he's cleared. Pierce has been the steadier option, posting 49 rushing yards, a touchdown, and 13 receiving yards for 18 PPR points over two games in 2026 — enough to sit at our #134 overall rank (#27 at the position). Mitchell is unranked and scored zero PPR points in his lone 2025 appearance, so this is projection and pedigree, not recent production.

The Fantasy Angle

If you rostered Blue or Steele speculatively, you can move on without a second thought — both are off the roster entirely. The interesting swing is Mitchell, who's now one step closer to touches than the practice squad allows. He's a deep-league dart throw only until we see a snap count that justifies more.

For now, hold Pierce if you have him. He's the most likely Eagles back to produce usable numbers while Barkley nurses the hamstring, and a promotion like Mitchell's doesn't change that overnight. Stash Mitchell only in deep formats and watch the first injury report before Sunday — that's your real signal.