The New York Giants officially ruled out running back Saquon Barkley for for Thursday night's game against the San Francisco 49ers, and it is expected that Matt Breida will fill in as the No. 1 back in his absence, with a committee approach being possible, according to Dan Duggan of The Athletic.
Matt Breida is a veteran running back in the NFL, but with Saquon Barkley not missing much time last season, Breida has not gotten much run since signing with the Giants. It will be interesting to see what the Giants do in the run game against the 49ers, and if Daniel Jones will be able to use his legs in the same way without Barkley on the field.
The Giants could use a committee approach, with Breida getting the majority of the carries and Gary Brightwell getting the other carries. Gary Brightwell has not had many rushing attempts in his career since coming into the league with the Giants.
In the 2023 NFL Draft, the Giants drafted running back Eric Gray out of Oklahoma. Eric Gray has been behind both Breida and Brightwell on the depth chart so far this season, and his pass protection in the preseason left a lot to be desired. That is likely what keeps him off of the field.
Barkley will try to return as soon as possible. The Giants play on Monday Night Football at home in Week 4 against the Seattle Seahawks.
For tonight's game, you will likely see Breida and Brightwell in the backfield for the Giants against the 49ers.
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