The NFL season will soon be upon us. Along with it will come fantasy football. Annually, the most important players in fantasy football are running backs. Running backs are typically the most drafted position in the first round and, usually, the best running back in the NFL is picked first overall.
New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley will receive plenty of consideration from fantasy football players holding the number one overall pick in their respective leagues. Barkley is entering his third season behind an improved offensive line and a new, run-heavy offensive scheme.
In his first two seasons, Saquon Barkley was dominant. As a rookie, Saquon totaled a league-high 2,028 scrimmage yards. Barkley played through an injury in 2019, but he still managed to top 1,000 rushing yards. Saquon was also one of the best players in all of fantasy football during the fantasy playoffs. Saquon’s dominant performance against the Dolphins in Week 15 was worth 30.30 fantasy points. He then topped that in Week 16 with 43.90 points against the Washington Redskins. For me, personally, these two performances by Saquon Barkley were the reason I won my fantasy league.
As fantastic as Saquon Barkley is, his 2020 outlook is not as promising as one might think. Pro Football Focus’s fantasy football experts urge buyers to beware of the stud running back entering the 2020 season.
PFF’s “Buyers Beware” On Saquon Barkley
According to Pro Football Focus, Saquon Barkley faces one of the toughest schedules out of any running back in the NFL. PFF says, “The Giants, Titans, and Browns have the three hardest schedules for opposing running backs this fall, so buyers beware if you are considering Saquon Barkley, Derrick Henry, or the combination of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt.”
The Giants do face a tough schedule in 2020. This schedule will be especially tough for the team’s backfield. New York is set to face off against some of the best run defenses in the league this season. Saquon Barkley is an extraordinary talent, but this tough schedule could hurt his fantasy football draft stock in 2020.