Saquon Barkley: Commanders fumble leads to 3-yard TD run
Andrew Mukuba forced a fumble on Chig Okonkwo deep in Washington territory, and Philadelphia cashed in with a 3-yard Saquon Barkley touchdown run.
Update: Andrew Mukuba forced a fumble on Chig Okonkwo deep in Washington territory, and Philadelphia cashed in with a 3-yard Saquon Barkley touchdown run.
Saquon Barkley scored a 3-yard touchdown after Andrew Mukuba forced a fumble on Chig Okonkwo deep in Washington territory, according to NBC Sports / ProFootballTalk.
What happened
Mukuba’s forced fumble came on first-and-20 from Washington’s 10 yard line after a pair of penalties put the Commanders in a tough spot, per NBC Sports / ProFootballTalk. Barkley has been the top offensive weapon for Philadelphia, catching a 24-yard pass while also rushing for 12 yards on five carries, the outlet reported.
The fumble continued a poor start for the Commanders, who did not score despite Luke McCaffrey setting them up at the 50-yard line on the opening kickoff, according to NBC Sports / ProFootballTalk.
Context
Barkley totaled 50.5 PPR points through Week 8 in six games this season, with 56 carries for 274 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns, per Sleeper. He added 10 targets, seven receptions and 41 receiving yards.
In Week 8 against the Commanders, Barkley had 12.4 PPR points, 13 carries for 30 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown, and one reception for 24 yards, according to Sleeper. RotoWire reported that Barkley rushed 13 times for 30 yards and a touchdown while catching his only target for 24 yards in Sunday’s 27-10 loss to the Commanders.
Barkley is listed as RB1 on the Eagles’ running back depth chart, per Sleeper.
Timeline
On October 28, Fantasy Football Desk reported that the Philadelphia Eagles placed running back Dameon Pierce on injured reserve and that Pierce will miss at least four games.
On October 31, Fantasy Football Desk reported that Tanner McKee will make his third consecutive start against the Washington Commanders on Sunday night, and that McKee said he has been talking with Jalen Hurts quite a bit.
On November 1, Fantasy Football Desk reported that Saquon Barkley was expected to be on a snap count in Week 8 against the Washington Commanders, according to Glazer, and that Barkley said after the game that his hamstring came out great and he didn’t believe the back injury that kept him out of the fourth quarter would stop him from playing Sunday.
What’s next
The Eagles play the Washington Commanders on the road Sunday in Week 8, according to ESPN’s schedule.
Sleeper projects Barkley for 15.7 PPR points in Week 9.
🏈 Fantasy impact
Barkley’s Week 8 touchdown salvaged an otherwise quiet game, but managers should be cautious. He is expected to be limited by a snap count and playing through hamstring and back issues, per Glazer and Barkley himself. In Week 8 he had just 13 carries for 30 yards and one catch for 24 yards, per Sleeper and RotoWire. While he remains the Eagles’ RB1 on the depth chart, his 33% snap share this season and 8.4 PPR points per game rank behind his usual production. For Week 9, Barkley is projected for 15.7 PPR points, but given the injury risk and the Eagles’ 2-6 record, consider him a risky RB2/flex. If you need a replacement, look for Elijah Mitchell, who is second on the depth chart, but his 14.1 PPR points in two games and 0.6-point Week 9 projection don’t inspire confidence. Jaydon Blue and Tank Bigsby are even less proven. Hold Barkley if you have him, but temper expectations; if a competitive offer comes in, consider selling while his name value remains high.