The New York Giants find themselves in quite a predicament. They just had to overpay for their starting quarterback, Daniel Jones, who came off his best statistical season last year, who they've never been really on high to begin with. Conversely, their best offensive weapon in years, running back Saquon Barkley, is sitting at home because they were underpaying him.

This is how the NFL player market is constructed now, fairly or not. The subpar quarterback gets paid handsomely while the much more talented running back beside him who runs through a line of 300-plus pound lineman is offered peanuts. From an owner's perspective, it's hard to argue their sentiment. Data shows that running backs have a short shelf life, and that all the money they're clamoring for, for the length they're wanting it, can be allocated to other positions who have greater value. From a player's perspective, it's a smack in the face.

Barkley now has to continue to weigh his options as the 2023 season inches closer. To play or not to play? Paid little or paid none? Those are the questions. If he doesn't play, the Giants will need to weigh their options and seek elsewhere. They'll need to sift through a list of fellow disgruntled running backs who have yet to find a home.

Here a few options:

Ezekiel Elliott

I'm not sure Dallas Cowboys' fans could fathom seeing Ezekiel Elliott in Giants blue. But it would make a lot of sense. Head coach Brian Daboll's offense relies a lot on the run game, so with whatever gas that Elliott has left, Daboll would most likely get it out of him. This option almost seems too easy considering the style of back Ellliott is, similar to Barkley. Even with Elliott's less-than-stellar season last year where he rushed for under a thousand yards, he should be top choice for the Giants.

Leonard Fournette

Another back similar to Barkley is the former Tampa Bay Buccaneer Leonard Fournette. Fournette is a big, strong back that, if still capable. has some open-field burst to his game. He can also catch out of the backfield, which would be a big help as another option for quarterback Daniel Jones.

Dalvin Cook

At this point, we're basically just going through all the big name running backs available. Dalvin Cook definitely fits that bill. Cook, like just about any running back on this list, has had his fair share of injuries, but if the Giants are looking for someone to fill Barkley's void, the former Minnesota Viking is a great option. He showed last season that he could make it through a whole season, playing in all 17 games, all the while still amassing for over a thousand yards. He'd probably still be with the Vikings if not for some of their cap issues.

Kareem Hunt

Kareem Hunt has never quite regained his impressive form that he had with the Kansas City Chiefs. It didn't help that he played the part of backup during his time in Cleveland behind Nick Chubb. With Barkley out, Hunt could become the premier back for the Giants, where he would most likely total more than the 386 yards he rushed for last season with the Browns.

The problem is still the market value

The main obstacle preventing any of these running backs from finding a new home, with New York or otherwise, is their reluctance to accept a deal at the market rate, which is lower than what they would prefer. It's why most of them were either cut, not resigned or given a franchise tag, and are now sitting at home in denial about the reality of their situation.