Since the New York Giants took former Penn State standout Saquon Barkley with the second overall pick in this year's NFL Draft, there has been plenty of expectations laid ahead of him to be a primary fixture in the offense.
This is something that Barkley has voiced that he is ready to take head on beginning in the season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars
.@saquon – Im definitely ready for a full workload against Jacksonville…I’m excited for the game and to get this season started.
— New York Giants (@Giants) September 3, 2018
These comments should clarify that Barkley will be ready to go for the contest on Sunday afternoon as he has been dealing with a hamstring issue that flared up in practice a couple of weeks ago. The Giants have been treading lightly with the 21-year-old to avoid any possible setbacks, and he appears to be ready to go for the season opener that will be against a highly formidable opponent in the Jaguars, who possess one of the top defenses in the league. This could see him get tested early and often in the contest as he should be featured heavily in the game plan.
Barkley did display some of his promising potential in the limited preseason action that he did have that included an impressive 39-yard run against the Cleveland Browns where he was able to read and find the hole while using his athleticism to create a spot for him to burst through. He will have plenty of opportunities to showcase his unique skill set in the passing and running game this upcoming season as Giants have made it clear he will be a major part of their offense.
The only possible hurdle at this point could be his health as a hamstring injury is something that could linger if not handled correctly. It is something that the Giants will continue to monitor over the next few days in order to assure that he is ready to go for the season opener.