Fantasy footballers may remember the name as a mythical figure – a player who burst onto the scene for a month before disappearing and returning to the waiver wire.
Starting in Week 5 in 2020, wide receiver Travis Fulgham started a torrid four-game streak for the Philadelphia Eagles where he had 27 catches for 378 yards and three touchdowns. The production seemingly came out of nowhere. Fulgham entered the NFL in 2019 as a sixth-round pick from Old Dominion University, a school with a decade-old football program at the time, and failed to stay with the Lions. Detroit or the Green Bay Packers before joining Philadelphia in August. predated his apparent breakout season.
“It was amazing, a dream come true,” Fulgham said, according to The Athletic’s Nick Kosmider. “I’ve probably never been happier in my life, just going out there and doing what I love and being able to help a city like Philly win games. Sadly it didn’t last long but the people have seen what I can do.”
The view from the top of the mountain was indeed short-lived. Fulgham had just nine receptions for 104 yards in their last eight games played that season. Philadelphia released its unexpected contributor at the end of training camp the following year, and Fulgham spent much of 2021 on practice squads for the Miami Dolphins and Denver Broncos, dressing only only once as a Bronco and playing nine snaps in total.
Now lined up with offensive head coach Nathaniel Hackett after Vic Fangio was fired, Fulgham will be hoping to show more consistency on the field and put pressure on the active roster.
Making the original 53-man roster is far from a sure thing, however, given the current WR room roster. Jerry Jeudy, Courtland Sutton, Tim Patrick and KJ Hamler are all virtual locks, and Montrell Washington has the inside track for the spot right after them as fifth-round picks.
That leaves Fulgham facing a handful of passers – several of whom appeared in more games with Denver last season – for what is likely just one remaining WR slot.
For what it’s worth, one of the aforementioned locks recently sang Fulgham’s praises.
“He’s just cool and calm and collected,” Patrick said. “He’s always in control and he plays very well. He makes everything seem effortless.”
And of course, no one believes in Fulgham’s ability to show that Philadelphia’s fleeting magic was no more an illusion than the catcher himself.
“All I can do is stick to my game and do what I do,” Fulgham said. “I didn’t go anywhere. That’s how the situation ended. But I didn’t go anywhere. My game is still there. I can resume a game if I want to.”