The New York Giants made a franchise altering decision when they decided to give Daniel Jones a multi-year contract extension over RB Saquon Barkley ahead of the 2023 NFL season.
Fast forward a couple of years later and Giants’ fans are being forced to accept that Saquon is widely being considered the best running back in the league entering the 2025 NFL season while Jones is no longer a member of the franchise.
Saquon Barkley Named Top Running Back in the NFL Ahead of 2025 NFL Season by ESPN
ESPN”s Jeremy Fowler dropped his top 10 running backs in the NFL list entering the upcoming season on Monday after compiling the votes from executives, coaches, and scouts across the NFL, where he revealed Philadelphia Eagles RB Saquon Barkley as the top ball carrier in the league.
Fowler wrote, “Barkley’s Super Bowl-inspired run in 2024 harkens back to then-New York Giants GM Dave Gettleman taking serious heat for selecting a running back with the second overall pick despite plenty of good quarterbacks available in the 2018 draft. Barkley was just that good. And just maybe, that pick wasn’t so bad and Gettleman looks smart?”
Barkley absolutely went off in his first season with the Eagles, rushing for 2,005 yards 13 touchdowns to go with 33 receptions for 278 yards and another two scores in 2024.
Yet, Barkley saved his best football for the postseason where he rushed for 499 yards and five scores over the Eagles four-game playoff run on their way to a Super Bowl title.
Fowler added, “When including the regular season and playoffs, Barkley’s 2,504 rush yards and seven scrimmage touchdowns of 60-plus yards are the most in a season in NFL history. His speed was constantly on display, reaching at least 20 mph on nine touchdown runs, per Next Gen Stats. No other player had more than two.”
The story becomes a bit of a tragedy for Giants’ fans, who watched their beloved running back for the previous six seasons excel with a division rival.
For some context, Jones finished with fewer passing yards than Barkley did total yards from scrimmage in 2024.
Despite Giants general manager Joe Schoen’s decision to prioritize giving Jones a long-term deal over Barkley, he will still have the opportunity to get this franchise moving in the right direction in 2025.
What Does the Giants RB Room Look Like in 2025?
The New York Giants clearly downgraded the RB room in 2024 with the loss of Saquon Barkley, but the depth chart still features an encouraging amount of young talent entering the season.
Tyrone Tracy Jr. exceeded expectations as a fifth-round pick when he generated over 1,000 yards from scrimmage and six total touchdowns his rookie year while operating in a subpar offense.
The team still has reliable veteran Devin Singletary on the roster, who had 437 rushing yards and four scores in his first season with the Giants.
The franchise added another back into the mix entering the year by drafting Arizona State RB Cam Skattebo in the fourth round to compete for work in this Giants backfield this season.
Ultimately, the Giants backs should be serviceable in 2025, but are a far cry away from what Saquon is expected to do this upcoming season.
