Will Shipley, the third-string running back who was the starter for the Philadelphia Eagles due to injuries to the team’s top two backs in Saquon Barkley and Tank Bigsby now joins the duo on the injured list after suffering a a partial tear of his plantar fascia according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
It’s yet another injury to be added to the extensive injured list that the team has been dealing with over the last few weeks.
Shipley rushed for just six yards on five carries but did score on a two-yard run against the Jacksonville Jaguars who entered Sunday with the second-best rush defense.
The fourth-round pick out of Clemson in 2024 paired with veteran Dameon Pierce, who was elevated from the practice squad, to form the backfield for the Eagles mustering just 22 yards on the ground which was the team's fewest since Week 7 in 2015.
Per NextGen Stats, the Eagles snapped a streak of 124 straight games with at least 40 rushing yards, which was the longest active streak in the NFL entering Week 5.
With Bigsby on IR needing core muscle surgery, the hope is that Barkely (hamstring) will be able to return for this week’s matchup against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday afternoon at Lincoln Financial Field.
Barkley has missed essentially three games already this season. He left in Week 2 in Tennessee with a stinger in his neck after his first carry of the game. In Week 4 against the Los Angeles Rams, he suffered the hamstring injury on the first play of the second offensive possession for the Eagles which sidelined him for the rest of that game and all of Sunday in London.
Carson Steele was also elevated to the active roster prior to the game on Sunday and it if Barkley can't give it a go Sunday, it will be Pierce and Steele as the two options in the backfield.
With injuries to the running backs and the massive offensive line changes, Philadelphia is tied for 23rd in the NFL averaging 91.6 rushing yards per game.
