It's only Week 5 in the NFL, but the New York Giants' season is already circling the drain. In need of a spark, the team got some encouraging news about its star running back Saquon Barkley as he tries to get back on the field for a Week 5 matchup against the Miami Dolphins while dealing with an ankle injury.

“I’ll definitely say I’m in a better spot than where I was last Thursday,” Barkley said, per SNYGiants on X. “So, definitely encouraged, but don’t want to make no guarantees. Just continue to trust my body and trust this training staff and we’ll go from there.”

There was speculation that Barkley would suit up for the Giants' Week 4 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks on Monday Night Football, but the team opted to designate him inactive for the second straight week.

Barkley did sound optimistic about his progress, saying “Each day it gets better. It’s a tough injury, but just taking it one day at a time and trying to improve each day.”

The running back's return could not come soon enough for a Giants team whose season is slipping away. Big Blue is 1-3, with the team's only victory coming via a miracle comeback against the 1-3 Arizona Cardinals. All three losses, meanwhile, have been three-possession games.

New York's offense has scored the fewest points in the NFL to date, and their rushing attack has suffered with Barkley sidelined. In Week 3 against the San Francisco 49ers, Giants running backs combined for 22 yards on eight carries. Monday night, the team tallied 112 yards on the ground, but 66 came from QB Daniel Jones as he scrambled for his life.

In a division where the Philadelphia Eagles remain undefeated (4-0) and the Cowboys (3-1) have looked like the most dominant team in the NFL at times, the Giants are basically in must-win territory already. Facing an explosive Dolphins offense without their best weapon is a recipe for disaster.