Who Should I Start? Saquon Barkley or Michael Thomas

Friday, August 28, 5:46 PM

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley cooled off a little last season relative to the year prior, but he's still worth drafting as a top-12 running back in 2026 fantasy drafts. Barkley had 1,413 scrimmage yards and a modest nine touchdowns last season, ranking as the RB14 in PPR leagues. He has been a top-14 fantasy running back in each of the last four seasons, including a finish as the overall RB2 in 2024. The 29-year-old has shown no signs of slowing down, and he's actually trending back upward in a new-look Eagles offense. New offensive coordinator Sean Mannion has introduced wide zone concepts that should benefit Barkley by increasing his yards per carry and perhaps leading to more touchdown opportunities. You certainly won't be able to get Barkley at a discount, as he comes with an ADP of 14.6. However, he's still a very reasonable target in the early second round of fantasy drafts, especially for fantasy managers who spent their first pick on a wide receiver.