Who Should I Start? Saquon Barkley or Zach Charbonnet

Wednesday, June 4, 6:22 PM

When asked about retirement down the road, Philadelphia Eagles star running back Saquon Barkley said could eventually be a spur-of-the-moment decision. "I'll probably be one of those guys that it would be out of nowhere," Barkley said. "I'll probably just wake up one day, whether it's next year or two years or four years and just be like, 'yeah, it's over.'" The 28-year-old had an eventful first year in Philly in 2024, leading the league in carries (345), rushing yards (2,005) and yards per game (125.3) in 16 regular-season starts while helping the Eagles win their second Super Bowl championship. It's hard to see the volume staying so high as he nears the dreaded 30-year-old mark for RBs, but as long as he stays healthy, Barkley should continue to be a high-end RB1 in fantasy in one of the best offenses in the NFL. While there's a lot to like about the three-time Pro Bowler, he'll also be one of the bigger bust candidates thanks to his injury history.

Sunday, January 5, 8:20 PM

Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet did not deliver for fantasy managers in Week 18. He ran for 59 yards and gained 32 yards on a lateral from wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Charbonnet was in a great position to succeed as the starter. However, Seattle rotated running back Kenny McIntosh into the lineup consistently. As such, Charbonnet did not have the same volume he has enjoyed in his other starts this season. Charbonnet's future in fantasy is interesting. The Seahawks seem very committed to starting running back Kenneth Walker III (ankle). However, Charbonnet has shown this season that he can carry the load when called upon and Walker has proven himself to be injury prone throughout his career. At the very least, Charbonnet has proven himself to be an excellent complimentary piece to Walker. Charbonnet should have a chance to be a consistent contributor next year. His eight rushing touchdowns were excellent this year. Time will tell what Seattle decides to do with their offense.