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Saquon Barkley became just the ninth player ever in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards during the 2024 season. This came in his first year with the Philadelphia Eagles.
During his tenure with the New York Giants, fantasy football managers never knew when they drafted Barkley if they were going to get one of the best running backs in the league or an injury-prone underperformer. So coming off the best season of his career, what should fantasy managers expect from Barkley in 2025?
Saquon Barkley's 2024 fantasy football statistics
Before Barkley accomplished the ultimate running back feat of running for 2,000-plus yards, Derrick Henry, Adrian Peterson, Chris Johnson, Jamal Lewis, Terrell Davis, Barry Sanders, Eric Dickerson, and O.J. Simpson were the only players to reach that prestigious threshold.
Barkley ran for 2,005 yards, to be exact, and that much yardage adds up in fantasy football. Over 345 attempts, Barkley ran for 125.3 yards per game. The Penn State product punched the ball into the end zone on 13 of those attempts. He also added 33 catches for 278 yards through the air.
Barkley's immense production on the ground led to him finishing as the top running back in standard fantasy football leagues. He racked up 322.3 fantasy points. However, Barkley's lack of pass-catching ability limited him to second place in PPR leagues with 355.3 points. Jahmyr Gibbs was the lone ball-carrier with more fantasy points in PPR leagues.
Saquon Barkley's 2025 fantasy football projections
Nobody has ever ran for 2,000 yards twice, so Barkley's numbers are predictably expected to drop. ESPN projects Barkley to still have a big year where he runs for 1,600 yards and 11 touchdowns, though. Barkley can do it all as a ball-carrier. He has a rare combination of elite speed and power. He is also elusive, balanced, and has great vision.
Barkley has the luxury of running behind an always great Eagles offensive line. Philadelphia's offensive tackles, Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata, are among the best players in the NFL. However, Barkley does have a couple of things working against him.
Noted above, Barkley has regularly struggled with injuries throughout his career. After running for 1,307 yards and 11 touchdowns as a rookie, Barkley was limited to 13 games in year two, two games in his third season, and 13 games again in year four.
Barkley was a Pro Bowler with 16 appearances in 2022, but he again dealt with injuries in 2023 before he had his career-year in 2024.
Furthermore, Barkley won't get all of the goal-line touches in Philadelphia. The tush push of Jalen Hurts is one of the most unstoppable plays in football.
Without much pass-catching upside, Barkley relies on a huge volume of carries to put up big numbers. It is hard to bet against him following a 2,000-yard season, but Barkley drafters are at risk of experiencing a big drop-off in production and even an injury-riddled year.
Fantasy Football running back outlook
Despite the potential concerns, Barkley is widely regarded as the first- or second-best fantasy football running back this season. In fact, he is tied with Bijan Robinson for having the highest average draft position (2.8) among backfield players.
Barkley, Robinson, and Ja'Marr Chase make up the big three of fantasy players this season. Robinson has a high ceiling because of his youth and talent, and Chase won the wide receiver Triple Crown last season thanks to the Cincinnati Bengals' love of the passing attack.
The Eagles love to run the football, so Barkley could still become the top fantasy football player this season. The defending champions are stacked with star talent and depth, so opposing teams won't be able to focus in on the running back.
As long as he stays healthy, Barkley has arguably the best floor of any fantasy football player, but there is some risk associated with drafting him.
