New York Giants: Jeremiah Places Saquon Barkley With Top MVP Contenders

Could New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley win the MVP award, something which more often than not ends up in the hands of a quarterback at the end of each season? It may be more likely than you think. Running backs tend not to win the award but it’s hard to make an argument for other players being as crucial to their team’s success as Barkley is for the Giants, at least if trends from last season continue.

Barkley finished second in the league last year in rushing yards as a rookie, and with more experience for his second season, is expected to improve at least somewhat – an increase in rushing yards wouldn’t be out of the question if the Giants use Barkley properly rather than trying to force success in the passing game at the expense of ignoring the player that’s very likely the best one on their roster.

According to the NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah, Barkley is one of the top five MVP candidates for the 2019 season, which makes sense if you buy into the idea that Barkley is going to improve on an already dominant year.

Only Patrick Mahomes and Carson Wentz were rated above Barkley by Jeremiah, and both of those players are quarterbacks, the position that more traditionally wins the award each year. Barkley having a more central role in the success of his team, though, might propel him to winning the award as a running back.

Of course, the most important thing is team results rather than individual awards and there’s no guarantee that Saquon Barkley sees enough of a usage upgrade to take enough yards away from the team’s other weapons, which includes a revitalized receiving corps and a passing game that may be aided by a new look offensive line.

We’ll just have to wait and see how Barkley does this season, but more likely than not, the player is not just the top running back for the Giants but one of the top ones in the league.