New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley (26) in action against the Philadelphia Eagles during an NFL football game, Monday, Dec. 25, 2023, in Philadelphia.
One of the biggest shockwaves of the entire NFL offseason was Saquon Barkley’s decision join the Philadelphia Eagles. Leaving the New York Giants behind, Barkley joined one of their biggest rivals in a bid to become the running back he was born to be, and the oddsmakers are predicting a strong breakout in 2024.
Tyreek Hill leads the charge having never won the award but placing third in 2023 after a career-high 1,799 yard campaign. It was his second consecutive season over 1,700 yards and his fourth over 1,200. There’s reason to believe he’s only getting better, but with Jaylen Waddle emerging, it’s tough to foresee both players continuing their staggering rise without one facing a slight regression.
The safest bet of the heavy favorites might well be Christian McCaffrey, who of course won the award last year. CMC enjoyed a career-year last year that saw him put up over 1,400 rushing yards and 564 receiving yards. The workhorse back in the San Francisco offense, McCaffrey finally put together the kind of season the world was waiting for, with the injury bug biting him on several occasions throughout his career. There’s no back doing it like McCaffrey right now and it’s easy to envision him defending his crown.
The chasing pack is priced closely, but it’s interesting to see Justin Jefferson placed so highly. Jefferson won the award in 2022 and while Kirk Cousins is no longer there and things are changing in Minnesota, Sam Darnold and J.J McCarthy should both have the arm talent to at least feed the star wideout on a regular basis. What makes Jefferson special is his ability to adapt to poor throws and make ridiculous catches, that isn’t going to change anytime soon.
For the Bijan Robinson truthers, a +2000 price is an inviting one. The second-year back put up 976 yards as a rookie, averaging well over 4 yards per carry behind an Atlanta offense that’s still very much in the process of finding its identity. With plenty of young pieces and a more reliable arm in Kirk Cousins, the offense should take a step forward in 2024, which could mean big things for Robinson’s growth.
However, the best value you can find on this market is betting Saquon Barkley.
Barkley’s arrival in Philadelphia is a big one. The team hadn’t paid a running back anywhere close to that kind of money since DeMarco Murray in 2015. There’s belief he’s a real gamechanger and it’s not hard to see why.
He put up 962 yards in 2023, struggling behind a depleted Giants offensive front that ranked 30th in run blocking. He now joins the third-best unit in the NFL and will be rushing behind some of the most dominant linemen in the entire league.
Saquon has been able to put up impressive numbers in New York in wake of injuries, offensive meltdowns and a real lack of blocking talent up-front. All of those concerns should dissipate in Philadelphia, giving Barkley the perfect launchpad to put together the kind of superstar season we all know he can.
If D’Andre Swift can go on a historic tear, why can’t Saquon Barkley?
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