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Saquon Barkley Injury Update: What We Know About the New York Giants RB After Victory Over Cardinals

While the New York Giants orchestrated a miraculous comeback against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 2, it might have come at a cost. Saquon Barkley suffered an injury near the end of the fourth quarter, but recent reports have shed a positive light on the star running back’s outlook.

What’s the latest on Barkley’s injury following Big Blue’s win over the Cardinals?

Saquon Barkley Injury Update

UPDATE, Sept. 19: On Tuesday, Giants head coach Brian Daboll refused to rule Barkley out for the club’s Thursday night game against the 49ers.

Daboll called Barkley a “quick healer” and said he felt better on Tuesday. It still feels like q quick turnaround for Barkley, but appears to be a game-time decision for Week 3.

UPDATE, Sept. 18: ESPN’s Adam Schefter has reported that Barkley suffered an “ordinary” ankle sprain that is expected to keep him out for three weeks.

Sept. 17: Barkley stayed down on the field after a rushing attempt late in the fourth quarter. He had to be helped off the field and onto the Giants’ bench.

Barkley could hardly put any weight on his right leg as he was assisted off the field. He slammed his helmet down on the sideline in frustration.

New York’s medical staff taped Barkley’s ankle on the bench, but he was walking with a noticeable limp. Barkley took a cart to the locker room, presumably to get X-rays on his ankle.

Thankfully, New York believes Barkley suffered only a sprained ankle, according to Jordan Schultz of the Score, who adds the former Penn Stater will undergo an MRI on Monday to confirm that diagnosis.

While a sprained ankle represents a better outcome than a season-ending injury, there are a wide variety of ankle sprains and severities. A high-ankle sprain, for example, is typically viewed as a four-to-six-week injury.

However, Barkley’s ankle sprain appears to be of the “ordinary” variety, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Sunday night. No reports have cited a potential timetable for Barkley, as the Giants will need to see the results of his MRI before assessing his return schedule.

Reading between the tea leaves, this doesn’t sound like a long-term injury. But the Giants are facing a short week, with a Thursday night game against the San Francisco 49ers on the Week 3 docket.

Even if Barkley’s injury isn’t overly severe, a four-day turnaround might be aggressive.

Barkley has a lengthy injury history, including a torn ACL that caused him to miss most of the 2020 season.

Those injury issues, combined with the realities of the NFL running back market, led the Giants to franchise tag Barkley this offseason. He initially held out before accepting a revised one-year deal, enabling him to earn an additional $909,000 via incentives.

Fantasy Fallout From Barkley’s Injury

Saquon Barkley got rolled up late in an ultra-impressive effort against the Cardinals and was visibly frustrated. Barkley hasn’t played a full complement of games since his rookie season, and if that continues, this Giants backfield is one to target on waiver wires.

Matt Breida would appear to be next in line. But even with an extended role, Barkley is valuable because he is uniquely gifted, not because this is some elite situation.

MORE: Tracking Every Week 2 NFL Injury

Daniel Jones likely would pick up some overall usage should his star RB miss time. The rushing elevates his fantasy floor, and if Barkley’s role as a checkdown option is gone, it could encourage Jones to explore his downfield options.

The offense as a whole would be risky to invest in, but I do think a Barkley injury wouldn’t prevent the occasional ceiling performance from Jones.

— PFN Fantasy Analyst Kyle Soppe

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