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One of the biggest headlines heading into the offseason and into training camp will be the health of New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley. He’s one of the most naturally gifted players in the NFL, and his return to full strength, or lack thereof, will be a major subplot for the fans, the team, and fantasy football players all over the world.
There isn’t much Barkley cannot do when he’s on the field. In his first two seasons in the NFL, he eclipsed over 1,000 yards rushing in each campaign, and also caught 143 passes combined in those two seasons as well. He was injured in the Giants’ Week 2 game last season against the Chicago Bears, but there may be one silver lining—the timing of when he went down.
Because he was lost so early in the 2020 season, Barkley stands a good chance of making it back in time for Week 1 of the 2021 season.
NFL Rumors: 3 Free Agent Running Backs the New York Giants could sign
With that in mind, New York Giants has to go into the offseason with the mindset of trying to acquire insurance at running back whether Barkley is healthy or not. The good news for them is that teams can usually find quality players in the backfield without investing too much. The trick for the Giants will be to identify the best fits. Which players should the team bring in?
#3 James White
It’s another connect the dots suggestion between current Giants head coach Joe Judge and his former employer, the New England Patriots. But in terms of team fit, James White would be an excellent addition to Big Blue’s offense.
White is never going to provide the between tackle running ability that Barkley innately possesses, but he’s among the very best pass-catching running backs in the league.
It seems like he’s older, but White only just turned 29 a few weeks ago, and should have a few good seasons left. He would help quarterback Daniel Jones feel better about getting the ball out of his hands quickly and avoiding the turnovers he has been prone to in his first couple of seasons in the league.
#2 Devontae Booker
On the other side of the evaluation process for the Giants are runners who may not possess the catching ability White or Barkley does, but who make the most of each and every carry. After a mostly disappointing stint with the Denver Broncos, free agent running back Devontae Booker had an impressive season as the Las Vegas Raiders reserve running back in 2020.
He had the most carries since his rookie year last year, and ran for an impressive 4.5 yards per carry. Booker is the type of physical runner the Giants could use to support Barkley as he makes his way back from a major injury.
#1 Tevin Coleman
The last alternative on this list is a hybrid of the prototypical between the tackles player, and the one who excels in the flat catching passes. Tevin Coleman has done a little bit of both throughout his career, and is an attractively versatile option that New York might consider.
Even though he has been in the league for six seasons, Coleman’s wear and tear has been limited during his time with the Atlanta Falcons and San Francisco 49ers. He’s never amassed more than 167 carries in a season, and should be fresh for a few more seasons.
One concern with Coleman is that he was only able to play eight games last year due to a knee injury, so the Giants’ medical staff will need to make sure everything checks out from a health standpoint first.
