NY Giants’ 3rd Most Essential Offensive Player: Saquon Barkley
Position: Running Back
Positional Value: Tier 5
What makes him a great player?:
Is Saquon Barkley the best at his position in the NFL? A good argument could be made that he is the best running back when healthy.
The term “generational talent” is thrown around way too often, but the term is not out of line when discussing Saquon. He is the most special talent at the position since Adrian Peterson, who was drafted eleven years before Saquon in 2007.
If Saquon is so good, then why isn’t he the NY Giants’ most essential player? The answer is simple; he’s a running back. The reason why so many fans were upset with his No. 2 selection in the 2018 NFL draft is that running backs are more expendable than other positions. No one is denying Saquon’s talent though, and his selection will look a lot better if he has a bounce-back season in 2021.
Running backs are less essential than quarterbacks, offensive tackles, pass rushers, and cornerbacks.
That being said, Saquon is not your typical running back.
Jason Garrett’s offense has a lot of trouble producing big “chunk plays” and Saquon is someone who can make something out of nothing every time he touches the ball.
How would the NY Giants fare without him?
The offense tried to fare without him in 2020, and it did not go well. The NY Giants’ 6-10 record could mostly be blamed on the 31st ranked offense that went without Saquon for nearly 15 games.
Without Saquon’s presence, Jones will continue to struggle. Jones’ passer rating is 92.0 with Saquon in the backfield, and 78.9 without him. The offense averaged 22.5 yards per game with Saquon since 2019, and just 17.5 yards per game without him.
Gettleman aggressively pursued Devontae Booker early in free agency to a two-year, $5.5 million dollar deal. Booker should get a bulk of the carries if Saquon can’t go. He is a tough and patient inside runner and is a much better receiver out of the backfield than Wayne Gallman was. Booker was the primary pass-catching RB on the Raiders last season when he backed up Josh Jacobs.