Running Back · Philadelphia Eagles · Age 29 · Penn State · RB5 Half-PPR (Season 2026)
Saquon Barkley is ranked RB5 (overall #11) for the Season of the 2026 NFL season in Half-PPR fantasy football by Hayden of The Underdog Football Show. ADP 13.5 — close to consensus.
Saquon likely to convert more than 1-of-11 GL carries for TDs with new OC
Barkley is the RB6 on RB5 usage over the past two seasons as an Eagle. Only Jonathan Taylor is averaging more carries per game (20.1) and only Derrick Henry is averaging more rushing yards per game (101). Of course, it was the tail of two seasons. Barkley was the RB1 overall in 2024 (21.6 half PPR points per game) as a Super Bowl champ before falling to RB14 last year when the Eagles were 19th in scoring. Which season is more likely? Probably neither. The Eagles are projected for the 12th most points per the betting markets with a new play caller and without A.J. Brown. Last year's OC ran out of ideas quickly, while new OC Sean Mannion comes from a very efficient and balanced Packers offense that allowed Josh Jacobs to be a 1st-round caliber player. Barkley will miss GOAT OL coach Jeff Stoutland, but there's hope that RT Lane Johnson (9 games), LG Landon Dickerson (14 games), and C Cam Jurgens (14 Games) play more and play healthier. The area he can improve on is short-yardage efficiency. Last year, Saquon scored 1 rushing TD on 11 carries inside the 5-yard line, on a brutal -85.9% rush yards over expected. That is absolutely not a Saquon stat. That's an injured OL stat, and it's a sign for positive regression. If Saquon does split the difference between RB1 and RB14, then he's a great pick at 14th overall on Underdog, especially in half PPR or standard. Saquon's floor seems pretty insulated after seeing the offense bust last year, so it's fair to ask who has the best ceiling between Saquon, James Cook (11th in ADP), Ashton Jeanty (12th), and De'Von Achane (13th) in their offenses. To me, that's pretty clearly Saquon. He's projected for 1099 rushing yards, 8.5 rushing touchdowns, and 275 receiving yards on Underdog.
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See where all Running Backs are ranked for the 2026 fantasy football season. Saquon Barkley is currently RB5 among Running Backs.
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Hayden is a fantasy football analyst for The Underdog Football Show, covering 2026 fantasy football with PPR and Half-PPR rankings, ADP comparisons, and weekly start/sit analysis. Rankings are updated regularly throughout the season. Hayden's "Best Bet" designations highlight players ranked higher than their ADP consensus, while "Fade" designations flag players the ranker believes are overvalued by the market.
By Hayden · The Underdog Football Show · Updated 2026-07-06