Giants Country

Giants RB Saquon Barkley Has "Real Chance" of Playing vs. Bills

Plus a positive Daniel Jones update.

Patricia Traina

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The bruised and battered New York Giants have a "real chance" of getting back one of their most indispensable players on Sunday night when they play the Buffalo Bills.

That would be running back Saquon Barkley, who has missed the last three games with a high ankle sprain suffered at the end of the Week 2 win against the Arizona Cardinals. The NFL Network is reporting that while nothing is 100 percent as of Sunday morning, Barkley is trending toward where the team is optimistic about having the star running back in the lineup.

According to head coach Brian Daboll, Barkley has been limited in practice the last two weeks, but his workload has gradually increased. The good news is that Barkley has been no worse for the wear after his workouts, which is certainly a positive sign for his imminent return.

"I feel like I'm trending every week," Barkley told reporters this week. "I felt better last Wednesday and last Thursday, this Thursday, Wednesday, than last Wednesday and Thursday. But when you have injuries, sometimes it takes time. Just been listening to the trainers, coming in here and trying to do everything I can, and taking it day by day."

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The Giants offense has missed Barkley. New York has seen their average rushing yards per game drop from 117.5 in the first two games to 75.3 in the last three during his absence.

 In other positive injury news, the NFL Network also reported that quarterback Daniel Jones, who has already been declared out for this week's game, could return next week. Jones and the Giants have said that the neck injury sidelining him this week isn't the same one that cost him the final six games of the 2021 season.

However, when Jones was held out of practice this past week, concern grew that maybe the injury was worse than anyone was letting on.

That no longer appears to be the case, for as long as Jones can practice without any discomfort, which he'll try to do this week, he should be back in the lineup next Sunday when the Giants host the Washington Commanders.

The Giants are currently a 1.5 underdog against the Bills, according to FanDuel. They opened the week as a 14-point underdog. 

 

 

 

 

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Patricia Traina
PATRICIA TRAINA

Patricia Traina has covered the New York Giants for 30+ seasons, and her work has appeared in multiple media outlets, including The Athletic, Forbes, Bleacher Report, and the Sports Illustrated media group. As a credentialed New York Giants press corps member, Patricia has also covered five Super Bowls (three featuring the Giants), the annual NFL draft, and the NFL Scouting Combine. She is the author of The Big 50: The Men and Moments that Made the New York Giants. In addition to her work with New York Giants On SI, Patricia hosts the Locked On Giants podcast. Patricia is also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and the Football Writers Association of America.

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