Saquon Barkley Still a Capable League-Winner at a Sunken Dynasty Cost

May 22, 2026, 9:37 AM ET

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley turned in one of the best fantasy seasons in recent memory in 2024, topping 2,000 rushing yards while garnering MVP consideration. Even with regression all but a foregone conclusion following the 482-touch campaign, his second season in Philadelphia was still considered a disappointment, with his rushing yards and touchdowns both dropping by more than 40%, resulting in an RB14 finish. Now, at 29 years old, Barkley has fallen to RB11 in RotoBaller's dynasty rankings, making him an appealing trade candidate for contending managers. Philadelphia's new offensive coordinator, Sean Mannion, is unproven in the position, but with Kevin Patullo seeming to actively hold the team back during his one year on the job, the new-look Eagles offense has room to grow from its 24th-place finish a year ago. Philadelphia has the seventh-easiest schedule in 2026, according to win projections, offering Barkley the opportunity to regularly find himself in favorable situations. The depth chart behind him remains largely unchanged, and even while his raw volume was down in 2025, he still handled 76% of the team's running back touches. Barkley has never finished outside the top 15 at the position while missing fewer than four games, a sample size of six different seasons, so to get him priced near his floor now makes him a smart short-term trade target still capable of delivering multiple RB1 finishes.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller