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

Monday, June 16, 6:18 PM

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley said he hasn't felt the effects of setting a career-high with 345 carries during the regular season last year while adding 91 more rushing attempts during the team's Super Bowl run. "I feel really good," Barkley said. "I feel like I'm entering my prime." The 28-year-old led the NFL in carries, rushing yards (2,005) and yards per game (125.3) in 16 regular-season starts in 2024 in his first year in Philly. Not much has changed with the Eagles offense, meaning Barkley could have another outstanding campaign in his second year with the team in 2025 if he can stay healthy all year. Barkley's phenomenal 2024 season makes him the consensus No. 1 overall pick in fantasy drafts going into this fall. He also added 33 receptions for 278 yards and two more touchdowns on 43 targets.

Sunday, June 15, 1:24 PM

SI.com's John Shipley guesses that Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. opens the year as the team's lead back. However, Shipley also writes that Etienne, Tank Bigsby and rookies Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen will get some run at some point. Under a new coaching staff, many believed that Etienne's stock would continue to fall after another disappointing showing in 2024, when he had career-lows across the board in carries (150), rushing yards (558) and touchdowns (two) while catching 39 of 52 targets for 254 yards through the air in 15 starts. That could still be the case, especially since the former first-rounder now has to fight off a pair of rookies in addition to Bigsby. Etienne has fallen all the way to No. 35 in RotoBaller's preseason rankings for 2025, but he still has a chance to prove himself in a new offense as the RB1.