Who Should I Start? Saquon Barkley or J.K. Dobbins

Wednesday, June 4, 6:22 PM

When asked about retirement down the road, Philadelphia Eagles star running back Saquon Barkley said could eventually be a spur-of-the-moment decision. "I'll probably be one of those guys that it would be out of nowhere," Barkley said. "I'll probably just wake up one day, whether it's next year or two years or four years and just be like, 'yeah, it's over.'" The 28-year-old had an eventful first year in Philly in 2024, leading the league in carries (345), rushing yards (2,005) and yards per game (125.3) in 16 regular-season starts while helping the Eagles win their second Super Bowl championship. It's hard to see the volume staying so high as he nears the dreaded 30-year-old mark for RBs, but as long as he stays healthy, Barkley should continue to be a high-end RB1 in fantasy in one of the best offenses in the NFL. While there's a lot to like about the three-time Pro Bowler, he'll also be one of the bigger bust candidates thanks to his injury history.

Wednesday, June 11, 12:52 PM

ESPN's Jeff Legwold writes that the Denver Broncos figure to give new running back J.K. Dobbins a long look in the third-down role ahead of Week 1 of the 2025 regular season. Dobbins has dealt with multiple injuries since being drafted in 2020, mainly knee and Achilles injuries, but he had career-highs in rushing yards (905), catches (32) and receiving yards (153) last year with the Los Angeles Chargers and tied his career best with nine rushing touchdowns. And that was with him missing four games in 2024 with an MCL sprain. Javonte Williams led the Broncos in carries (139) and rushing yards (513) last year, but he's now in Dallas. Second-round rookie RB RJ Harvey is the favorite for lead-back duties in 2025, but Dobbins (if healthy) could be a nice RB3/flex option for fantasy managers in PPR leagues if he captures the full-time third-down role.