Giants Player Profile | Saquon Barkley, RB

What are the expectations for Saquon Barkley entering his third NFL season?

2019 Season Rewind

As the reigning 2018 Offensive Rookie of the Year, Saquon Barkley was a fan favorite among fantasy football enthusiasts leagues and a candidate for league MVP.

But after compiling 227 rushing yards and a touchdown in the first two games, a Week-3 high ankle Spain against the Bucs threw a monkey wrench into Barkley's sophomore season and sidelined him for the next three weeks.

When Barkley returned in Week 7 against the Arizona Cardinals, the Giants were getting a lesser version of their superstar running back, as it was revealed later that Barkley's ankle did not fully recover from the injury when he returned to game action.

"When I first got hurt, I had it in a boot. I was in the boot for like two days," Barkley admitted in an Instagram live interview with golfer Brooks Koepka. "My whole mindset was coming back early. I was jumping on the ‘dirt thing’ — you’re not supposed to be doing that.

"I was trying to (test) myself to see where my strength is and how bad it actually hurts. With injuries, there's always a deadline for everyone. Like, the high ankle sprain takes 6, 8 weeks, or something like that. But I wanted to get it moving and try to get it as good as I can to get back."

With a lingering injury, Barkley was not as effective as he had been as a rookie, as he averaged 53 rushing yards per game over the next seven weeks, only scoring one rushing touchdown.

Barkley managed to deliver some production as a receiving back during those seven weeks but still fell short of his potential averaging just 4.28 receptions for 31 yards per game while scoring only one receiving touchdown.

Barkley's midseason struggles were further magnified during a Week 10 loss to the Jets in which he carried the ball 13 times for one total rushing yard.

Barkley did manage to contribute more as a receiver with five receptions for 30 yards, but it was still a performance that fell well below what Giants fans--and Barkley himself--had come to expect from the former Penn State star.

Barkley did sort of return to form in the final quarter of the season as his ankle began to feel better. In the Week 15 win over the Dolphins, Barkley broke 100 rushing yards with a 112-yard, two-touchdown performance against the Miami Dolphins, leading the Giants to 36-20 victory.

The next week on the road against Washington, Barkley put up career numbers with 279 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns for a 41-35 overtime victory.

Barkley just cracked the 1,000-yard mark to finish the season with 1,003 rushing yards, 438 receiving yards, and eight total touchdowns.

While his 2019 totals marked a decline from his rookie season in 2018, Barkley's respectable finish despite the unfavorable circumstances should reflect well on his future ability, if he's able to stay healthy moving forward.

Looking Ahead

Barkley's third league season in 2020 will involve new leadership and new strategies as offensive coordinator. Jason Garrett brings an offensive scheme utilized by the division rival Dallas Cowboys for over a decade.

Garrett's offense has produced a pair of NFL rushing leaders and even an All-Pro performance with Demarco Murray in 2014 and Ezekiel Elliot in 2016. Garrett even got a 1,000-yard season out of Darren McFadden in between in 2015.

Garrett's rushing offense was built around the skill set of the featured running back each time, as the 2014 offense with Murray saw a lot of zone runs and outside tosses, while the 2016 approach with Elliot saw more power iso runs in between the tackles.

Garrett's offense has traditionally leaned more on the run as it prioritizes picking up first down and maximizing the time of possession, which will emphasize Barkley's role even more in the new offense.

Still, the Giants should be wary about overusing the young star as well.

Garrett frequently gave his top running back carries volume with Dallas, as Elliot and DeMarco Murray both led the league in attempts by a large margin in the years they sat atop of the league's rushing rankings.

However, the Giants might want to dole out Barkley's snaps more judiciously, not so much in terms of carries but in terms of having him do some of the other stuff in which the ball isn't in his hands.

Cut down on some of his blocking responsibilities, particularly on third downs, to save some of the wear and tear on his body. And just as the Giants are believed to be planning to mix things up with which receiver they target in the passing game, perhaps consider mixing things up with the ball carriers as well as Dion Lewis has shown himself to be more than capable of being productive.

The good news is that Barkley will have some new help up front to try and find that space to break off big plays, with rookie offensive tackle Andrew Thomas expected to provide an immediate impact on the run blocking.

However, for Barkley, who is eligible to open discussions with the Giants regarding a new contract after this year, the team and the player must realize the importance of working smarter, not harder.