While the New York Giants orchestrated a miraculous comeback against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 2, it might have come at a cost. Saquon Barkley suffered an injury near the end of the fourth quarter, but recent reports have shed a positive light on the star running back’s outlook.
What’s the latest on Barkley’s injury following Big Blue’s win over the Cardinals?
Saquon Barkley Injury Update
UPDATE, Sept. 19: On Tuesday, Giants head coach Brian Daboll refused to rule Barkley out for the club’s Thursday night game against the 49ers.
Daboll called Barkley a “quick healer” and said he felt better on Tuesday. It still feels like q quick turnaround for Barkley, but appears to be a game-time decision for Week 3.
UPDATE, Sept. 18: ESPN’s Adam Schefter has reported that Barkley suffered an “ordinary” ankle sprain that is expected to keep him out for three weeks.
An MRI showed that Giants’ RB Saquon Barkley suffered an “ordinary” ankle sprain that now is expected to sideline him three weeks, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 18, 2023
Sept. 17: Barkley stayed down on the field after a rushing attempt late in the fourth quarter. He had to be helped off the field and onto the Giants’ bench.
Saquon Barkley was slow to get up and had to be helped off of the field after his latest carry. pic.twitter.com/6Td11ApcTH
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) September 17, 2023
Barkley could hardly put any weight on his right leg as he was assisted off the field. He slammed his helmet down on the sideline in frustration.
New York’s medical staff taped Barkley’s ankle on the bench, but he was walking with a noticeable limp. Barkley took a cart to the locker room, presumably to get X-rays on his ankle.
Thankfully, New York believes Barkley suffered only a sprained ankle, according to Jordan Schultz of the Score, who adds the former Penn Stater will undergo an MRI on Monday to confirm that diagnosis.
Sources: The #Giants believe Pro Bowl RB Saquon Barkley suffered a sprained ankle at the end of today’s win over the #AZCardinals.
I’m told it “could have been much worse,” and the team feels Barkley avoided a major injury.
Short turnaround Thursday night at the #Niners. More… pic.twitter.com/MYE4VtatTv
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) September 18, 2023
While a sprained ankle represents a better outcome than a season-ending injury, there are a wide variety of ankle sprains and severities. A high-ankle sprain, for example, is typically viewed as a four-to-six-week injury.
However, Barkley’s ankle sprain appears to be of the “ordinary” variety, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Sunday night. No reports have cited a potential timetable for Barkley, as the Giants will need to see the results of his MRI before assessing his return schedule.
Giants’ RB Saquon Barkley is scheduled to undergo an MRI on his right ankle Monday in Arizona to determine the severity of his injury and how much time he could miss, sources tell @JordanRaanan and me. Barkley’s ankle was swollen after the game but the inital thinking, in the…
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 18, 2023
Reading between the tea leaves, this doesn’t sound like a long-term injury. But the Giants are facing a short week, with a Thursday night game against the San Francisco 49ers on the Week 3 docket.
Even if Barkley’s injury isn’t overly severe, a four-day turnaround might be aggressive.
Barkley has a lengthy injury history, including a torn ACL that caused him to miss most of the 2020 season.
Those injury issues, combined with the realities of the NFL running back market, led the Giants to franchise tag Barkley this offseason. He initially held out before accepting a revised one-year deal, enabling him to earn an additional $909,000 via incentives.
Fantasy Fallout From Barkley’s Injury
Saquon Barkley got rolled up late in an ultra-impressive effort against the Cardinals and was visibly frustrated. Barkley hasn’t played a full complement of games since his rookie season, and if that continues, this Giants backfield is one to target on waiver wires.
Matt Breida would appear to be next in line. But even with an extended role, Barkley is valuable because he is uniquely gifted, not because this is some elite situation.
MORE: Tracking Every Week 2 NFL Injury
Daniel Jones likely would pick up some overall usage should his star RB miss time. The rushing elevates his fantasy floor, and if Barkley’s role as a checkdown option is gone, it could encourage Jones to explore his downfield options.
The offense as a whole would be risky to invest in, but I do think a Barkley injury wouldn’t prevent the occasional ceiling performance from Jones.
— PFN Fantasy Analyst Kyle Soppe