The fantasy football industry held its collective breath when New York Giants star RB Saquon Barkley left the Week 2 win early with an ankle injury. He sat out Week 3, but the former All-Pro has returned to practice ahead of a Monday night showdown with the Seattle Seahawks.
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Latest News Surrounding Barkley
Barkley was listed as a limited participant in practice on Thursday, and that’s great to see, considering that managers were concerned that they may be without their star for another few weeks.
Practicing in a limited capacity on a Thursday is a good sign in looking a few weeks down the road, but he is considered DOUBTFUL heading into Monday Night Football.
Will Barkley Play This Week?
He hasn’t been ruled out, but fantasy managers need to make an alternative plan. It is worth noting that the G-men don’t have their bye until Week 13, a scheduling quirk that will force their star running back to rehab on the fly and not get the benefit of a week off any time soon.
A look at running back Saquon Barkley (ankle) running through some individual drills. Coach Brian Daboll said they were going to take a look at him at today’s practice to see how he’s moving. #giants
(More on IG) pic.twitter.com/Tgv4pUQxNG
— Jordan Raanan (@JordanRaanan) September 28, 2023
His status for this week doesn’t look good for a team that certainly needs him back after they picked up just 29 yards on 11 rush attempts in a Week 3 drubbing at the hands of the San Francisco 49ers.
What Does This Mean for Week 4 RB Rankings?
With the doubtful tag entering Sunday, you have time to adjust your lineup. Barkley should be benched barring you have a reasonable MNF flex option to protect yourself against a DNP.
No, Matt Breida isn’t the answer. Now that we have time to react, you can surely do better than simply plugging in Barkley’s backup.
MORE: Fantasy Week 4 RB Start/Sit
If you’re stuck, options like Jaylen Warren and Tyler Allgeier are oft-benched running backs that offer some upside this week without the downside of a DNP.
Check out the Week 4 Cheat Sheet for insight on all players that are on your radar to get the latest intel!