The New York Giants illustrious running back Saquon Barkley has failed to make the Pro Bowl since his rookie season (2018). Barkley has shown his unique ability in the NFL, but he has been very injury-riddled in each of the past two seasons. The Giants RB missed 14 games in 2020 and then sat out four games in 2021.

Barkley is only 25 years old, so many football minds in the league could see untapped potential in the former Penn State ball-carrier. There has been speculation that a team could seek a trade for Barkley and the Giants could agree to ship out their RB. CBS Sports also suggests that the Giants should trade Barkley. If the Giants traded Barkley out of the Big Apple, it would free up $12 million for the Giants. The Giants could say goodbye to Barkley and the veteran tight end Evan Engram this offseason.

If the Giants ship out their well reputable RB, where could Barkley be traded? Well, here are a few potential suitors that may fall in love with the idea of having Barkley.

Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills could be aggressive to acquire stars in 2022, just as the Los Angeles Rams traded for numerous prominent profiles in 2021. I expect the Bills to try and land Christian McCaffrey or Saquon Barkley. Although, I expect the Giants RB could be easier to land from the rebuilding New York Giants squad than CMAC from the Panthers team looking for a QB in the Tom Brady-less NFC South.

The Bills starting RB from 2021, Devin Singletary, isn’t a top-shelf RB like Joe Mixon, Derrick Henry, or Josh Jacobs. It’s also clear they were relying on Josh Allen’s legs in more than they should, as he logged 122 rush attempts last season. Barkley can demand a hefty load and be the long-term RB that the Bills offense needs.

New York Jets

The New York Jets wouldn’t be a sexy landing spot for Barkley, but the Giants neighbor would be a very ideal landing spot for him. Robert Saleh needs to strike on a big offensive profile or two this offseason. The Jets should grab an offensive lineman, especially with Mekhi Becton’s recent demise in 2021. I’d still like the Jets to bring in a gifted profile at RB or TE to help the young, struggling Wilson progress well.

The Jets could add an enormous talent in Barkley and the Jets offense could really look impressive on paper. Barkley and Michael Carter would be a fantastic RB duo, while Corey Davis and Elijah Mitchell can be playmakers from the WR position.

The Jets also have fantastic draft picks and the fifth-most cap space in the NFL, so they should be aggressive at the bottom of the pit. Barkley and Wilson would be a special QB-RB tandem for years to come.

Kansas City Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs were heavily relying on Jerick McKinnon to be a threat for his offense in 2021. McKinnon is a free agent and former first-round pick Clyde Edwards-Helaire has fallen flat in the NFL. The Chiefs could go all out for a talented RB to slot into their offense featuring Tyreek Hill, Travis Kelce, and Patrick Mahomes.

The Chiefs struggled twice in the second half against the AFC Champion Cincinnati Bengals. Barkley can help the Chiefs decompose defenses like Cincy and help the Chiefs offense become more well-balanced.

Andy Reid has tried the Le’Veon Bell, LeSean McCoy, Edwards, and McKinnon experiment. He needs a franchise RB and they could strike on Barkley or CMAC this offseason. The Chiefs might be cap-strapped, but if they don’t bring back the Honey Badger, they could have more resources to land a RB. Reid also might hold a first-round pick that is more tempting to trade away, as they sit in the back of the first round.

Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins have Tua Tagovailoa, Jaylen Waddle, but they have a missing link at the RB spot. The Dolphins were 30th in rushing yards per game and 31st in rushing yards per attempt last season. Miami has Duke Johnson Jr. and Myles Gaskin, but neither RB is a potent pure RB. Phillip Lindsay is also on the roster, but he will look to head elsewhere in the upcoming free agency period. The bright Mike McDaniels should hit the ground running and attempt a trade for the star Saquon. McDaniels, who is a Kyle Shanahan disciple, will really want to get creative in the rushing attack.

The Dolphins won seven games in a row last season, but it didn’t prove to be enough for the Dolphins in the frigid AFC East. Barkley can be the spark that Tua and McDaniels need in 2022. The Dolphins also have the “most cap space in the NFL”, so they will look to add a few additions this season in free agency and potentially via a trade.

Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell might be the most popular 3-13 head coach in NFL history. Nonetheless, Campbell needs to bring a significant boost to the Lions in 2022 and show that there is hope for a playoff berth within a few seasons.

The Lions have T.J. Hockenson and a talented all-purpose RB in D’Andre Swift. If the Lions can obtain an elite offensive weapon like Barkley, the Lions could have a nice seat for a rookie QB in 2022 or 2023. Jared Goff was a pleasant bridge QB in 2022, but he’s not the long-term QB in Detroit.

Campbell needs to have a talented, young QB and a very competitive roster in Motor City soon. The Packers have the best QB in the league in Aaron Rodgers, the Bears have Justin Fields, and the new-look Vikings will look to get back to the playoffs. The Lions need to add the right QB and a couple of big additions. Similar to the Jets, they have amazing cap space (fifth-most cap space) and the golden ticket in round one and round two. If the Lions obtain Barkley and a rookie QB this offseason, the Lions offense would look light years ahead of their 2021 offense.

The post Potential trade destinations for Saquon Barkley appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Brady Akins

We, as a collective society, live in a world of first impressions. If the first thing I ever did to you bought you an ice cream cone, it would probably take a lot to convince you after the fact that I’m probably not a decent person. If the first thing I ever did to you wrote an article trashing your favorite running back, well, it might take some time to convince you that I actually do know what I’m talking about.

So when professional football’s first impression of Saquon Barkley, the former all-world running back from Penn State, was complete and utter domination of the NFL Scouting Combine— most of the world was head over heels. Including the New York Giants, who used the second overall pick in 2018 to make Barkley the highest-drafted running back since Reggie Bush in 2006.

And to be fair, Barkley’s combine performance was staggering– finishing with a 4.40 40-yard dash, the second-best time for a running back in 2018, 29 reps on the bench press, tied for the year’s best for running backs, and a vertical leap of 41.0 inches, another best among 2018 running backs. So it wasn’t too surprising when New York used that pick to take Barkley ahead of quarterbacks like Sam Darnold and Josh Allen, or offensive linemen like Quenton Nelson and Mike McGlinchey. 

And in Barkley’s first season, he went to work on strengthening his already strong first impression, making the Pro Bowl as a rookie with 1,307 rushing yards as a runner, 91 receptions as a pass catcher, and a league-best 2,028 yards from scrimmage en route to a runaway Offensive Rookie of the Year season. 

In 2019, things weren’t quite as good for the Giants running back. Not bad, by any stretch, but not up to par with the king of first impressions. His rushing production dropped from 1,300 yards to barely over 1,000, his touchdown volume dropped from 15 total to eight, and his pass-catching volume plummeted, falling from 121 targets in 2018 to 73 the following year.

Again, not bad. But for a player being projected by ESPN’s Matthew Berry as the most valuable player in PPR leagues to fall to 10th in points per game among running backs and behind 21 other skill position players in total PPR scoring– Barkley’s plummet could be considered ”˜bust-worthy’ if you took him first overall.

Granted, injuries did derail some of Barkley’s 2019 potential, forcing him out for three games. But after a torn ACL in Week 2 of 2020 forced Barkley out for the Giants’ remaining 14 games, injury concerns might be a problem in their own right. 

Injuries and a decline in production haven’t yet wavered the overall fantasy football community, however, as Barkley heads into 2021 drafts as the fifth-ranked running back by ESPN in PPR leagues, and the consensus fourth overall player on FantasyPros in standard-scoring leagues.

Just like in 2019 and 2020, Barkley is gearing up for yet another fantasy season selected as a high first-round player. But after back-to-back disappointing seasons, it becomes fair to wonder, is the fantasy football world thinking too highly of Saquon Barkley?

Expectation vs Reality

As mentioned at the top, first impressions mean the world through the lens of football. NFL scout’s first impression of Barkley was a physically gifted player ahead of anyone else in the class. Football fans first impression of Barkley him being a highlight machine capable of tearing up a football field as a player who averaged five yards per carry and nearly eight yards per catch. 

And for fantasy managers, their first impression of Barkley was a bonafide first-round running back, capable of producing highly as a runner and receiver. After ending 2018 as the league’s highest-scoring running back in PPR league’s and second-highest scoring in standard leagues– the benchmark for Barkley as an elite fantasy asset was set.

Of course, as we’ve already explored, 2019 marked a dropoff, and with a season-ending injury, 2020 was far worse for the consensus first-round running back.

But even examining Barkley’s performance through the small sample size of 2020 presents enough concerns on its own. With 19 carries through five quarters last season– Barkley managed just 34 yards. Yes, his two matchups came against two strong defenses in the Steelers and Bears, respectively, but a 1.8 yards per carry end to the year is a far cry from the numbers you would expect from a superstar. 

Barkley has actually developed a nasty habit for inconsistent production on the ground since his 2018 campaign. Dating back to 2019, Barkley has had four games of over five yards per carry, including his brief appearance against the Bears with 28 yards on four carries– and four games under two yards per carry, including a 13 carry performance against the Jets in 2019 that resulted in just one yard. 

You never know what version of Barkley to expect on the ground, despite his combine measurables and penchant for explosive plays. One week he can be a fantasy football powerhouse, and in another, he can rush for one yard. This showed up in 2020 as well, when Barkley’s only full game was a 15 carry, six-yard showing against the Steelers.

The saving grace of Barkley has been his ability in the passing game, which flashed tremendously in his rookie year with quarterback Eli Manning under center. With Daniel Jones, however, Barkley’s production as a receiver has been relatively limited.

In 2018, Barkley finished with eight or more targets in half of his games– including five games with 10 or more, a level of volume that led to a peak of 121 targets in 2018. With Manning running the show through the first two weeks of 2019, that balance between rushing and receiving carried on, with six and seven targets in his first two games, respectively. However, when the Giants made the switch to Daniel Jones at quarterback, Barkley’s receiving volume suffered. Since then, he has seen just two games in 12 starts with eight or more targets, and just four games with six or more.

In addition to inconsistency as a runner, Barkley has not had the receiving volume to make up for spotty performances on the ground. And in 2021, Barkley’s target share might continue to decrease.

So Many Mouths, Not Enough Cooks

The Giants made moves in the offseason, the biggest of which came at the wide receiver spot. 

Darius Slayton, Sterling Shepard and the tight end Evan Engram, the Giants three leading receivers from 2020, all remain in New York. Joining them will be the veteran Pro Bowler Kenny Golladay and the first-round rookie Kadarius Toney.

What was once a shallow group of pass-catchers that leaned on Barkley out of necessity is now a group with deep talent, and a young quarterback who has yet to make a habit of checking down to his running back. 

Barkley’s volume in the passing game dropped by nearly 50 targets in the span of a year, and it could continue to decrease. To be the elite running back that the fantasy world still thinks he can be, Barkley will need to lean heavily on his ability as a runner. That, just like his passing target volume, has dropped off since 2018, as well.

2018 saw Barkley finish second in total rushing yards, behind only the Cowboys’ Ezekiel Elliot. His 5.0 yards per attempt were good for ninth in the league, showing an ability to do a lot with a little, and his 11 rushing touchdowns were good for fifth in the league. All stats and rankings plummeted in 2019.

From second at 1,307 rushing yards to 16th with 1,003. From ninth in yards per carry to tied for 14th. From fifth in rushing touchdowns to tied for 20th. Across the board, Barkley was a worse player in 2019 than he was the year the world fell in love with him.

That’s not to say that 2019 is the new standard. However, Barkley faces an uphill climb to be the clear-cut RB1 the world wants him to be. 

It’s a world of first impressions, and Saquon Barkley nailed his. But the reality since then has failed to live up to expectations.

The post Is RB Saquon Barkley an elite RB? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Daniel Racz (Twitter: @Danny___Dimes)

Introduction

When Saquon Barkley came to the NFL out of Penn State in 2018, Barkley was a generational talent at the running back position. The Giants front office raved about his skillset, with general manager Dave Gettleman saying, “I have never seen a player like him in my 30 years evaluating talent.” 

In Saquon’s rookie year, he set the league on fire. In his first career game, a loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, Saquon ripped off the first of many breakaway runs for the G-Men. Barkley’s skill and athleticism are undeniable: there is perhaps no better running back in the league when healthy. That said, Saquon’s past two years have disappointed fantasy players. 

An early high ankle sprain derailed much of his 2019 season. While he ended that year on a high note and finished as an RB1, he was not productive for much of the season. Saquon’s 2020 season was over when he tore his ACL and MCL against the Chicago Bears early on in week two. 

Saquon is expected to make a full recovery before the 2021 season, but should he cost an early 1st round startup pick?

The Benefits That Come With Owning Saquon

In owner John Mara’s most recent news conference, he told reporters that he expected Saquon to be a Giants for a long time. These words should ease any worries about his long-term status, as he will likely be on Big Blue for the prime of his career. 

The Giants’ ownership does not often comment on contract matters, so their word should be taken as gospel. Mara’s comments should lead you to make transactions with the assumption that Saquon Barkley will be a Giants for years to come.

Workhorse running backs are growing scarcer every year, and the Giants have not shied away from giving Saquon 20-25 touches a game. Saquon’s volume gives him such a high floor, and his skill gives him a ceiling matched only by players like CMC, Kamara, Cook, and Henry. 

During his record-breaking rookie season, Saquon put up over 24 points a game (PPR format). If he even gets back to producing 80% of what he did as a rookie, he will be a locked and loaded top 5 running back. 

Although his current ADP is RB4, his range of outcomes certainly includes an excellent shot at the RB1 title.

The Risks Involved With Owning Saquon

Just like any other running back, Saquon’s lifespan is relatively short. We can hope that Saquon returns without a loss of athleticism, but there is a chance he will not be the same elite athletic specimen. 

A healthy Saquon is a great player, but do not automatically assume we get a healthy Saquon–factor the risk into any transaction. 

Another risk related to Saquon Barkley is the effectiveness of what the New York Giants decided to call offense in 2020. The offense averaged 17.5 points per game, good enough for 30th in the league. 

While Saquon and a likely wide receiver addition, we will see a less stagnant offense. That said, The Giants’ offense will still have Jason Garret at the helm, so it may not produce many explosive plays for any of its weapons. 

The Verdict

Saquon Barkley may be the most polarizing player in dynasty. When considering Saquon, think about where your roster is at the moment. If you are an immediate contender and can add Barkley to cement yourself as the likely favorite of your league, you ought to do it. 

The 2022 rookie class is relatively weak and lacks depth, do not be afraid to give up those picks. The 2023 class has some elite running backs, but if you anticipate being a contender, that should not affect you. 

Saquon is a buy at his current price if he immediately makes your team a powerhouse or keeps you in the clear lead dog role. 

That said, if your team is likely to be in a productive struggle or the cellar, rostering Saquon does not do you much good. His long-term outlook is less bright given his risks and the age apex of most running backs. Your league will likely have a market for Saquon, but if no one is buying, wait until after the offseason. Some “workhorse” running backs will turn into committee members, and some will go down to injury at the start of the season. Exercise patience when selling top tier assets, as it is more likely that any one of your league mates will lose a running back than for Saquon to take a drastic dip in value.

Overall, Saquon’s value is entirely dependent on your roster. If you need immediate production, he is a buy. If you are in a startup draft, buy him knowing that your winning window is now. If you are playing for 2023 and onward, it would be wise to move on from him and avoid buying him unless the owner is selling him for extreme value. 

The post Saquon Barkley: Dynasty Outlook appeared first on Pro Football Mania.