Saquon Barkley Gets a Major Boost in Fantasy by Signing With the Eagles
Saquon Barkley will remain in the NFC East, but unfortunately for Giants fans, he won't be playing for New York. Instead, Barkley signed a three-year $37.75 million deal with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Despite the Giants' offensive struggles, the 27-year-old runner managed to shine in 2023. Barkley's 1,242 all-purpose yards last season and ten total touchdowns was a standout performance in an anemic Giants' offense. Barkley averaged 3.9 yards per attempt for a New York team that ranked 30th in offensive points scored. He was responsible for nearly half of the team's 25 total touchdowns.
In 2022, Barkley had 295 carries and 57 catches for 1,650 total yards with ten touchdowns (all rushing) in 16 games, and he was selected to play in his second Pro Bowl.
It's important to note that injuries, including ankle and knee issues, have marred Barkley's career. The most significant setback was a torn ACL that sidelined him for the majority of the 2020 season.
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The Eagles get an elite offensive playmaker in Barkley, a great pass blocker, and a reliable pass-catcher who has produced well even with a bad offensive line.
Under the leadership of Nick Sirianni, the Eagles have established themselves as a run-first team, averaging 129 rushing yards per game in 2023. This strategy is aided by mobile quarterback Jalen Hurts, responsible for 605 of Philadelphia's 2,190 rushing yards and 15 of the team's 22 total rushing touchdowns last season. De'Andre Swift, who led the running back room last season but now heads to Chicago, totaled 1,049 rushing yards last season with just five rushing touchdowns. He also added in another 214 receiving yards and a receiving score for a total of 1,263 all-purpose yards and six total touchdowns across 16 games played.
All in all, Barkley's value gets a boost, especially given the Eagles' dominant offensive line compared to the hodgepodge lineman he ran behind in New York.
Barkley gets a fantasy bump for the better o-line and a more high-powered offense, but he takes a ding playing next to the NFL's biggest goal-line vulture, Jalen Hurts.
What Saquon should gain in efficiency, he may lose in touchdown scoring for fantasy managers. However, a three-year, guaranteed $26 million contract suggests the Eagles will let Saquon pick up more of those tough yards and goal-line carries.
The verdict: don't be afraid to draft Saquon as a tier-one RB for this season's fantasy football drafts.
Related: 2024 NFL Free Agency Tracker: Grading Every Major Move