Saquon Barkley Not Ruled Out for Giants vs. 49ers by HC Daboll Despite Injury

New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley sprained his ankle in the team's Week 2 comeback victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, but head coach Brian Daboll isn't quite ready to rule him out for Week 3 despite the ailment.

"I'm not saying that he's out yet," Daboll said Tuesday. "He's a quick healer. I'm not saying he's in, he's out. We're going to take it all the way up with him to Thursday, but he feels a lot better today."

Barkley injured his ankle late in New York's 31-28 victory over Arizona on Sunday. In the fourth quarter, the star running back got his ankle caught in the bottom of a pile before being helped off the field by trainers.

The 26-year-old was brilliant against the Cardinals before exiting, rushing for 63 yards and one touchdown, in addition to catching six passes for 29 yards and one score.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Monday that Barkley suffered an "ordinary" ankle sprain that would likely sideline him for three weeks, meaning he would miss key matchups against the San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks and Miami Dolphins.

Barkley is playing the 2023 season on a revised franchise tag and he'll be a free agent at the end of the year hoping to land a lucrative long-term extension.

While Daboll wasn't ready to rule Barkley out for Thursday Night Football against the 49ers, it seems unlikely that he would be ready to go for the matchup on a short week with little rest.

Given Barkley's impact on the offense, the Giants will likely be cautious with the running back moving forward to preserve his health for the duration of the year and a potential playoff run.

If Barkley ends up being ruled out against San Francisco, Matt Breida and Gary Brightwell figure to see more snaps out of the backfield. Quarterback Daniel Jones and the passing game would also be under more pressure.