Who Should I Start? Saquon Barkley or James Cook

Saturday, March 21, 4:20 PM

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley had another strong campaign in 2025, but it was admittedly a little underwhelming by his own standards. Fantasy managers who spent a first-round pick on Barkley after his overall RB2 campaign were also likely a little disappointed to see him drop to RB14 in 2025. Still, that's nothing to scoff at, as Barkley had 1,400+ scrimmage yards and finished as a top-14 running back for the fourth year in a row. His continued dominance should remain present in 2026, when the Eagles roll out a new-look offensive scheme. Head coach Nick Sirianni previously said that new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion will install more zone-blocking concepts, which should benefit Barkley in the running game. It should help the veteran ball-carrier improve upon last year's marks in yards per carry (4.07) and rushing touchdowns (seven). Will we see Barkley get back to the overall RB2 spot? Not necessarily. However, he's firmly in the top-10 conversation, and managers should be willing to buy low on Barkley in dynasty leagues despite him being 29 years old.