Saquon Barkley limped off against the Rams - bench him in fantasy or hold?
Barkley's hamstring flared up on his second carry Sunday against the Rams - six-yard run, went to the medical tent, then the locker room. Listed questionable to return. That's his second exit of the season: he took a stinger on the first play of week 2 but came back for the second half. He's at 182 yards and zero touchdowns through four games. If he misses time, Tank Bigsby and Will Shipley split the backfield. And the Eagles are already missing DeVonta Smith (hamstring), Dallas Goedert (knee), and Lane Johnson (personal). So for my redraft league: is Barkley just snakebit this year? Do I bench him against Jacksonville next week, or is this the week to buy low from someone panicking?
1 answer
- Hold one week, spend nothing on the wire
Don't bench him yet, and definitely don't blow waiver money on Bigsby or Shipley. History says hamstrings linger, but Barkley already showed in week 2 he plays through soft-tissue scares - he left and came back for the second half. His line is ugly (182 yards, zero TDs through four games) but he's also had the worst run of offensive-line luck in the league with Smith, Goedert, and Lane Johnson all out. Give it one week and watch the injury report. If he's questionable and the Eagles play it safe against Jacksonville, you sit him. If he's a full participant, he's your RB1 again. Either way, spending FAAB on a 50/50 Bigsby-Shipley committee is how you lose your league.