Giants Rumors: Saquon Barkley to Avoid Surgery for Ankle Injury

New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley will reportedly avoid surgery after suffering a high ankle sprain in last week's win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. 

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Barkley visited Dr. Robert Anderson in Green Bay, Wisconsin, but the doctor did not recommend undergoing tightrope surgery, which was a procedure Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa underwent last year.

The Record's Art Stapleton noted that Barkley's initial recovery timeline of 4-8 weeks remains the same following the visit.

Barkley quickly established himself as one of the league's most dynamic offensive weapons after the Giants selected him with the second overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft. He led all players with 2,028 yards from scrimmage as a rookie and also scored 15 total touchdowns.

The 22-year-old New York City native remained durable throughout his rise to stardom. He appeared in 38 of a possible 40 games across three years with the Penn State Nittany Lions at the collegiate level, and he played all 16 games during his debut NFL season.

As things stand, though, Barkley is expected to miss four to six weeks while nursing the high ankle sprain, per Rapoport.

Wayne Gallman should handle a majority of the Giants' backfield workload for a duration of the superstar's absence. Fullback Elijhaa Penny could also get involved in short-yardage situations.

Barkley and rookie quarterback Daniel Jones are the key building blocks for New York's offense. The G-Men will likely play it extra safe with the running back since the team is not yet a championship contender.