Managing the health and fatigue of New York Giants star running back Saquon Barkley must be a priority moving forward. Spending the No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft forces the team to utilize Barkley as a workhorse, but prolonging his career and ensuring he can remain in form requires adequate depth at the position.
The New York Giants might want to add more quality depth at RB:
While Wayne Gallman is a decent option when it comes to providing Barkley with the time to rest and maintain his stamina, there are other quality options in the upcoming draft that would make more sense in relation to the Giants’ scheme.
Penn State running back and heir to Barkley’s throne, Miles Sanders, mimics his alma mater in some ways. His shiftiness in the open field and ability to pick up extra yards with his agility closely resembles Barkley. However, he does lack the home-run feature Saquon brings to the field.
NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein stated:
Well-built glider with the instincts, footwork and agility to shake tacklers but the frame and pad level to finish with some authority. He can clearly create yardage for himself, but he has average acceleration and might need to expedite his downhill process as a pro. Sanders is more skilled than explosive, but he has the size and talent to develop into a future starter with every-down potential.
While Sanders has the potential to become a starting level runner in the NFL, he would be a fantastic compliment with the Giants, allowing them to continue with their offense when Barkley isn’t on the field. Gallman struggles to maintain the level of effectiveness as he’s not a skilled pass catcher.
Sanders has some kinks to work out in his game:
Sanders tends to lean towards his mobility too frequently instead of attacking a hole and confidently bursting through. He finds himself dancing and losing yardage at times when he could pick up a few yards and put the offense in a better position.
This generally comes down to discipline and coaching, something Barkley struggled with when first trying to break bad habits. Luckily, his quick learning and action-first mentality allowed him to overcome his “bounce it to the outside” tendency.
Barkley would be a fantastic mentor for Sanders and would put the Giants in a position to utilize two effective players consistently, even using both at the same time in specific packages. Additionally, he could turn into a solid trading piece if he manages to reach his potential.
I expect Sanders to be a potential third-round pick, very reachable for Big Blue.