Saquon

Barkley

Barkley didn’t catch either of his two targets, with one being a clear drop and the other a pass that he just didn’t get his head turned around in time to bring in. The 56 yards are more than double the ugly 22-yard game he had against the Cowboys in Week 13, but still a massive disappointment. Unfortunately, this has been far more common than could have been anticipated, and while there are five weeks to go, this appears to be a lost season for the 28-year-old. He’s back in action after an extended rest against the Chargers on Monday Night Football in Week 14.

Barkley logged limited sessions on Tuesday and Wednesday. His return to full participation is great to see. The Bears placed one starting linebacker on injured reserve last weekend and ruled out three more linebackers this week. Barkley should be the offensive focal point on Friday.

Barkley was listed as a limited practice participant for the second straight day. On a short week ahead of a Friday game against the Bears, it is possible the Eagles are keeping Barkley’s reps limited to keep him healthy. Still, fantasy managers should keep an eye on tomorrow’s final practice report to see if Barkley is good to go, or if Tank Bigsby will get a shot at starting.

Barkley was listed as a limited participant for the Eagles’ walkthrough. It wasn’t a full practice with pads, so we wouldn’t put too much stock into a limited first practice on a short week. Fantasy managers can expect Barkley to still practice throughout the week and play Friday against the Bears, barring setbacks.

Barkley’s immense struggles continued in Week 12 against one of the league’s most generous rush defenses. He had 22 yards on 10 rushes while catching seven passes for 52 yards as the Eagles blew a 21-0 lead. “I’m a big believer that the run game starts with me and ends with me,” Barkley said. “I’m in a little funk right now. I’ve had funks before. Just got to break it. Only way I know how is by flushing this, working my butt off, and get ready for the next opportunity.” Barkley has averaged 1.9 yards per carry in the fourth quarter this season, well below his 6.6 YPC in the fourth quarter of 2024 games. Barkley ranks 20th in running back breakaway rate in 2025; last year he was first.

Barkley saw an unusually big role in the team’s passing offense. He had never had more than four receptions in a game during his time with the Eagles, and hadn’t seen more than five targets since he was leading the Giants backfield. Though Barkley’s receptions helped salvage his fantasy day, his lack or explosion and depressed overall rushing production remains a major issue for one of the biggest fantasy disappointments in recent memory. Barkley will be a must-start in Week 12 against a Bears team that gives up the league’s highest rate of rush yards before contact, a key metric for running backs like Barkley who rely on explosive runs.

Bigsby was phased out of the usually pass-heavy Eagles offense on a pass-heavy day for Jalen Hurts. Bigsby, who’s been efficient with limited chances since joining the Eagles in October, is a good bench stash for now in case Saquon Barkley misses time down the stretch of the regular season.

Barkley struggled to get the wheels turning in the first half but made multiple nice runs in the fourth quarter to help the Eagles put the game away, coming close to ripping off chunk gains on multiple occasions in the final frame. Even so, fantasy managers that sunk a first round pick into the veteran are assuredly left wanting more as Barkley now has only two carries of 20 or more yards after amassing 17 such carries during his historic 2024 season. Of note, the Eagles lost center Cam Jurgens and offensive tackle Lane Johnson to aggravated injuries in this one, which is something to keep an eye on ahead of a Week 12 matchup with the Cowboys.

It’s difficult to bottle up Barkley’s magic for an entire NFL game, something the Packers found that out the hard way when a well-timed spin move broke Barkley into the open field for a 41-yard gain on a reception in the fourth quarter. The Eagles would score their only touchdown of the game on the next play when quarterback Jalen Hurts found DeVonta Smith for a 26-yard score, enough to send the Eagles to a 6-2 record and one game behind the Conference lead. It was an overall poor offensive performance from the Eagles, who gained only 294 yards of total offense on the evening. Look no further than Barkley’s 60 additional yards on his other 24 touches outside of the 41-yard catch-and-run down the sideline. Even so, Barkley remains a volume-aided RB1 ahead of another difficult matchup on the ground against the Lions in Week 11.

Both players found themselves on the injury report early in the week coming off the team’s bye week, but both were removed Saturday as the Eagles prepare to face the Packers on Monday Night Football. Center Cam Jurgens was ruled out but his absence didn’t affect Barkley’s rushing output in Week 8. Treat Barkley as a locked-in RB1, even in a difficult matchup, while Brown has fallen slightly to WR2 status of late.