Who Should I Start? Saquon Barkley or Jamison Crowder

Monday, March 11, 2:57 PM

Free-agent running back Saquon Barkley is signing with the Philadelphia Eagles on a three-year, $37.75 million deal. The deal includes $26 million in guaranteed money and has an additional $9 million available in incentives. After a 2018 rookie season that saw the former Penn State star go for over 2,000 yards from scrimmage and 15 touchdowns, he has struggled to stay healthy over a chunk of the next five years of his career. He missed 21 games from 2019 to 2021. He bounced back in 2022 with 1,312 rushing yards but regressed to 962 yards in 14 games in 2023. However, the Eagles believe in him as a game-changing running back, as his average salary ($12.58 million) ranks only below Christian McCaffrey, Alvin Kamara, and Jonathan Taylor. Although the Eagles' offensive line could take a hit after the retirement of Jason Kelce, Barkley should be playing behind the best offensive line of his career in 2024. He will have an immediate high-end RB1 upside in fantasy football.

Wednesday, March 13, 6:43 PM

Wide receiver Jamison Crowder re-signed with the Washington Commanders on Wednesday on an undisclosed one-year deal, according to a source. In his return to D.C. in 2023, Crowder caught just 16 passes on 20 targets for 159 yards and one touchdown in 17 games played. The 30-year-old veteran slot man mostly served as the team's punt returner last year and will once again play a depth role at the receiver position in 2024 behind Jahan Dotson. Washington originally made Crowder a fourth-round pick in 2015 out of Duke. His best season came in Year 2 in 2016, when he caught 67 passes for a career-high 847 yards and seven touchdowns in 16 games. Unless injuries strike to several Commanders pass-catchers in 2024, it's unlikely that Crowder will be on the fantasy radar at this stage of his career.