One of the biggest moves of NFL free agency was running back Saquon Barkley signing with the Philadelphia Eagles. The former New York Giants running back decided it was time for a change in scenery and joined a division rival. Barkley has been a productive back in fantasy football. Does the move to the Eagles increase the value of Saquon Barkley?
Saquon Barkley Fantasy Football Past
Saquon Barkley took the league by storm in his first two years in the NFL. In his first two campaigns, he rushed for over 2,000 yards, had over 1,000 receiving yards, and 23 total touchdowns. In each of those seasons, he finished in the top ten of the running back rankings. Barkley was RB2 in 2018 and RB10 in 2019. Unfortunately, an ACL injury early in the 2020 season derailed his meteoric rise.
Saquon Barkley obviously didn’t play in 2020 and only appeared in 13 games in 2021. Many players coming off an ACL injury struggle their first year back. Barkley was RB34 in 2021, and many wondered whether he would ever be the same. He answered those questions in 2022. The New York Giants needed every bit of his 1,312 rushing yards to make the playoffs, and he finished as the RB6. Even with the offensive struggles this past year, Barkley still finished as the RB13.
Saquon Barkley 2024 Fantasy Football Outlook
On paper, the move to the Philadelphia Eagles is a clear upgrade for Saquon Barkley. This is the best offense he has ever been a part of. The Eagles have also been favorable to running backs in the past two years. In 2022, Miles Sanders finished as the RB10. The next season, D’Andre Swift only finished as the RB23 but did have over 1,000 yards rushing. Saquon Barkley is better than both of those running backs.
The challenge in fantasy football with a good team is there are a lot of mouths to feed. AJ Brown, Devonta Smith, and Dallas Goedert all need targets. Then there is the “Tush Push” conversation. Saquon Barkley may lose out on goal-line touches, thanks to Jalen Hurts. However, Jason Kelce is now gone, and he was a huge part of that play. If it becomes less effective, Barkley could get more touches in short-yardage situations.
Prediction
There are definitely concerns. However, every year that Saquon Barkley has been healthy, he has been a top-15 running back in fantasy football. That seems to be the floor. His ceiling is unlimited. With a lighter box to go against, Barkley could find many gaping holes to run through. A 1,000-yard season feels very likely.
Saquon Barkley won’t make it past the second round in your fantasy football draft. There will even be some who will take him comfortably in the first round. While there are plenty of exciting running backs in the league, Barkley has a proven track record of production.
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Matt Brown has been following sports since he was a kid. While football is his primary focus, Matt can talk about any sport anytime. He is a banker in Wisconsin and hosts two podcasts, Beers and Ears & Discontinued on Display.
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