Saquon Barkley’s Dynasty Value | Fantasy Outlook, Ranking, and More

The Saquon Barkley dynasty discussion centered around him being viewed as an elite fantasy football asset following an explosive rookie season in 2018 (2,028 yards and 15 touchdowns). But Father Time has chipped away, and Barkley will enter 2024 as a 27-year-old RB with over 1,500 touches on his NFL résumé and a change in address ahead of him.

Should you be looking to get out of the Barkley business before it’s too late? Or, knowing that every running back is a short-term investment and that his signing with the Philadelphia Eagles gives him access to a ceiling he hasn’t had in years, should you hitch your wagon to him for as long as possible?

Saquon Barkley’s Dynasty Outlook

It’s no secret that Barkley’s profile is similar to that of Barry Sanders: body blows before the haymaker. Every single carry has the potential to go the distance, a running style that carries seemingly unlimited upside but also leaves him vulnerable to a floor that few other elite options have.

The former New York Giants RB’s reliance on the big play is featured as one of my 124 fantasy football stats to know from 2023, and that’s nothing new. But as the years pass, that style of running can be problematic.

First two seasons (minimum of 12 games played each year)

• Barry Sanders: 5.19 yards per carry
• Saquon Barkley: 4.83 yards per carry

Next three seasons (minimum of 12 games played each year)

• Sanders: 4.48 ypc (down 13.7%)
• Barkley: 4.25 ypc (down 12%)

Sanders had a second peak following this mid-career dip in efficiency, and it’s possible that a physical talent like Barkley mirrors that. But he’s going to need some help. The Giants in 2023 weren’t exactly a top-tier offense.

• Yards per play: 30th
• RB yards per carry before contact: 29th
• Red-zone trips: 27th

Enter the Philadelphia Eagles.

READ: Saquon Barkley’s Fantasy Value: Impact of the Philadelphia Eagles Acquiring Seventh-Year RB

The talent remains, that much I’m confident in. And with a short-term path to greatness as the lead man in Philadelphia, Barkley is an asset that you need to be holding onto.

Rankings like these can be tricky and subjective, but for me, when stacking up running backs, I very much prioritize the short term. That gives Barkley’s proven skill more value than the potential floor that could be looming as the age curve creeps into consideration.

Barkley’s Dynasty Ranking

Where does Barkley land in the dynasty RB landscape after changing teams? Here are PFN’s latest dynasty rankings, showing where Barkley lands in comparison to other top names at the position.

1) Bijan Robinson | Atlanta Falcons
2) Breece Hall | New York Jets
3) Christian McCaffrey | San Francisco 49ers
4) Jahmyr Gibbs | Detroit Lions
5) Jonathan Taylor | Indianapolis Colts
6) Saquon Barkley | Philadelphia Eagles
7) Travis Etienne Jr. | Jacksonville Jaguars
8) De’Von Achane | Miami Dolphins
9) Kyren Williams | Los Angeles Rams
10) James Cook | Buffalo Bills
11) Kenneth Walker III | Seattle Seahawks
12) Isiah Pacheco | Kansas City Chiefs
13) Josh Jacobs | Green Bay Packers
14) Rachaad White | Tampa Bay Buccaneers
15) Javonte Williams | Denver Broncos
16) Alvin Kamara | New Orleans Saints
17) D’Andre Swift | Chicago Bears
18) Rhamondre Stevenson | New England Patriots
19) Tony Pollard | Tennessee Titans
20) Derrick Henry | Baltimore Ravens
21) Brian Robinson Jr. | Washington Commanders
22) David Montgomery | Detroit Lions
23) Aaron Jones | Minnesota Vikings
24) Najee Harris | Pittsburgh Steelers
25) Joe Mixon | Houston Texans

Should You Trade Barkley in Dynasty?

Are you looking to trade Barkley? Our free PFN Trade Analyzer helps you to find the best offer to make in seconds!

Trading for running backs is a dangerous idea in dynasty leagues. The age cliff is never far away, and you very often end up paying for production that has happened as opposed to what will happen.

That, however, I don’t expect to be the case in this spot. Why can’t Barkley recapture the fantasy glory from his rookie days and make a push for the top overall producer at the position over the next season or two?

MORE: Fantasy Football Updated RB Dynasty Rankings

The 2023 season was a worst-case scenario. Barkley didn’t return value on his ADP, and he was one of three running backs to average 20+ touches per game. The tread on his tires was used up, and his dynasty managers didn’t benefit in a big way. The underlying numbers scare me in that regard, but there is no overlooking the potential to guide your team to glory in the short term.

Percentage of carries failing to gain yardage

• 2023: 25.1%
• Career prior: 21.1%

Barkley’s home-run-hitting nature is one thing, but numbers like this lower his weekly floor to an unacceptable level. They have the ability to relegate an elite talent to a touchdown-dependent fantasy option that you can’t count on consistently. I’m not saying that occurs here, but it does need to be weighed for those playing the long game.

Yards per route run

• 2022-23: 0.90
• Career prior: 1.31

That’s a 31.3% decline, though it could easily turn around in a versatile offense like Philadelphia’s that has a number of playmakers to absorb defensive attention, something Barkley didn’t have in New York.

Barkley’s physical peak might be behind him, but I very much expect him to remind us of the upside that he still has access to in a lead role that allowed D’Andre Swift to thrive last season.

There aren’t many running backs on the wrong side of 26 years old that I’d invest in — there also aren’t many Saquon Barkleys.