Since joining the Philadelphia Eagles, Saquon Barkley has had a superb season, setting the franchise single-season rushing record. However, in Week 15, the elusive running back was seen going into the medical tent.
Let’s examine what happened to Barkley, the latest injury update, and what the fantasy football impact of the injury might be.
What Happened to Saquon Barkley?
There was a little bit of confusion over what happened to Barkley, as the first his injury was noted was when he entered the medical tent. His final play before that had been a three-yard run on 2nd-and-10. Kenneth Gainwell then came into the game, but that is not unusual, so there was not much made of it initially.
Barkley landed awkwardly on his right side, potentially banging his hip on the ground as he came down on the play. That would make sense given one of the beat reporters said it appeared that Barkley was pulling his trousers back into place as he left the medical tent.
Saquon has not returned to the game since this hit he took from Minkah Fitzpatrick. pic.twitter.com/sruwmgO0Ut
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) December 15, 2024
Barkley came out of the tent and grabbed his helmet immediately. He was not in the game for the touchdown pass to DeVonta Smith, but there does not seem to be much concern over his continued involvement in the game.
Barkley did not return to the field at the start of the Eagles’ next drive. However, he was seen jumping up and down on the sideline. Gainwell has been utilized regularly in two-minute drills, and the drive started at 2:28 on the clock.
Barkley has his helmet on while standing on the sidelines, so he is seemingly still able to come into the game if necessary. He appeared to be trying to loosen his right leg during the drive and in the timeouts. However, the Eagles had a three-and-out, so Barkley did not get back on the field during the drive.
Barkley returned to the game in the third quarter. with consecutive first-down carries for the Eagles offense to open the half. However, he then left the game and did not return until there was a little over five minutes remaining in the third quarter. He does not seem to be 100% but he is not hurt enough for the Eagles to hold him out.
At the time he went into the medical tent, Barkley had 31 rushing yards on seven attempts. He had yet to see a target in the game, but Gainwell saw a bigger role in the passing game with two receptions for 26 yards. We have seen Gainwell spelling Barkley at times this year, so there is no major concern about seeing more of Gainwell in the passing game.
Barkley entered the game with 1,623 rushing yards and 267 receiving yards. He has scored 13 total touchdowns this season and is averaging 6.4 yards per touch on the season. His first season in Philadelphia has been extremely successful, and he remains on course for a 2,000 rushing-yard season as he averages 124.8 yards per game in 2024.
The only non-quarterback with more fantasy points than Barkley this year (300) is Ja’Marr Chase (335.8). Barkley leads all running backs by more than 30 points and averages three fantasy points per game more than anyone else at the position so far in 2024.
Fantasy Impact of a Barkley Injury
Analysis by Kyle Soppe
Gainwell was the back involved following Barkley’s injury, and while he’d project as the most stable option should the MVP candidate miss time, rookie Will Shipley would be a threat to match his touch count, thus making this backfield a tough one to rely on.
That said, the Eagles close the fantasy season with the Commanders and Cowboys, two teams that they should be able to dominate physically. Neither Gainwell nor Shipley would be ranked as a top-20 option, but both would be on the reasonable Flex radar for Week 16, thus making them roster-worthy in all formats.