Who Should I Start? Saquon Barkley or Travis Etienne Jr.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
18.9 104.7 1.0 1.2 9.8 0.0

Saquon Barkley News

Nick Sirianni Thinks Saquon Barkley Will "be Exceptional" in New Offense

Wednesday, February 25, 7:02 AM

Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni thinks running back Saquon Barkley will "be exceptional" in the new offensive system in 2026, according to Zach Berman and Brooks Kubena of The Athletic. Barkley had a down year by his standards in 2025, coming off a season in which he led the league in carries (345), rushing yards (2,005), and rushing yards per game (125.3). The 29-year-old had 1,140 yards and seven touchdowns on 280 rushing attempts in 16 regular-season games last year, when the Eagles had lows in yards per rush (4.2), average yards before contact (1.52), total rush EPA (minus-24.81), and rush-success rate (39.1) under Sirianni. The new offensive staff under Sirianni, led by offensive coordinator Sean Mannion, is expected to install "more zone-blocking concepts" that originate from the Shanahan tree. Barkley should still be considered an RB1 in fantasy despite his down 2025 season, and a bounce-back could be coming if he stays healthy.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
14.5 64.4 0.7 2.1 15.3 0.1

Travis Etienne Jr. News

Travis Etienne Jr. Could be a Good Fit With Saints

Friday, March 6, 2:37 PM

Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer thinks that Jacksonville Jaguars impending free-agent running back Travis Etienne Jr. could wind up at over $10 million per year in free agency, and he could be a good fit with a team like the New Orleans Saints. Long-time lead back Alvin Kamara (knee) played in a career-low 11 games last year due to a knee injury, and the Saints restructured his contract on Friday with the potential to move on from the aging back. If the Saints were to move on from Kamara or he were to retire, Etienne would be firmly in play for Etienne and the other top RBs on the open market this offseason. The 27-year-old is the total package as a runner and receiver, having totaled 1,107 rushing yards and seven touchdowns on 260 carries while adding 36 catches for 292 yards and another six TDs in 17 regular-season games with the Jags in 2025. Etienne's fantasy arrow is pointing up, but his final 2026 value will be determined once we know where he'll be playing.


Saquon Barkley vs. Travis Etienne Jr.

Still trying to decide between Barkley and Etienne Jr.? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Saquon Barkley is projected to score 18.9 points this week while Travis Etienne Jr. is projected to score 14.5 points.