Fantasy Alert: Saquon Barkley May Not Handle 'Full Workload' in Giants' Opener

New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley may not receive a full workload if he plays in the team's Week 1 game against the Denver Broncos, which would limit his fantasy football upside.

Barkley, who suffered a torn ACL in Week 2 of the 2020 season, completed his first full-contact practice Thursday since the knee injury. His availability for the Sept. 12 season opener hasn't been confirmed.

On Friday, Dan Duggan of The Athletic predicted how the situation may play out:

"It's still not known if Barkley will be ready for Week 1. My sense is that Barkley will be in the lineup for the opener but won't have a full workload. The Giants will likely bring Barkley along slowly in his return from a torn ACL. The hope is that he can return to being a workhorse as the year progresses, but he might never return to playing 83 percent of the offensive snaps like he did in his first two seasons."

Barkley said he "felt good at practice" Thursday, but added he'd leave the decision about whether he'll play against the Broncos up to the team.

"This whole process I've been a team player listening to the doctors, listening to the coaches, listening to the trainers, knowing that they have my best interest at heart," Barkley told reporters. "Whatever they feel that is best for me and best for the team, I'm willing to do."

The 2018 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year has been one of the toughest players to analyze from a fantasy perspective all summer.

Barkley ranked second among all players in fantasy scoring during his standout debut campaign, but he dropped to 41st in 2019 while missing three games with a high-ankle sprain. He made just two appearances last year because of the torn ACL.

So, while his potential is among the NFL's best, taking him in drafts carries a lot of risk. That's especially true since he's a first-round pick in most leagues, carrying an average draft position of 10.2, according to Yahoo Sports.

It makes Barkley a boom-or-bust cornerstone for fantasy managers with late drafts.

Meanwhile, Giants backup running back Devontae Booker could end up being one of the year's biggest steals. On average, he's going undrafted in standard Yahoo Sports leagues, and it sounds like he'll have a weekly role, even if Barkley is active.

All signs point toward New York playing it safe with their franchise rusher with the long-term outlook in mind, so Booker could draw sporadic starts and is an extended Barkley absence away from receiving upwards of 15 touches a week.

If Barkley misses Week 1, consider Booker a high-upside No. 2 fantasy back against a Broncos defense that ranked 25th in rushing yards allowed last season.