Saquon Barkley Could Play vs. Vikings Despite 4-8 Week Timeline for Ankle Injury

New York Giants head coach Pat Shurmur told reporters Thursday it's possible superstar running back Saquon Barkley could return for Sunday's Week 5 game against the Minnesota Vikings.

Barkley has missed just one game since suffering a high-ankle sprain against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 3. The injury originally came with a recovery timetable of four to eight weeks, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The 22-year-old Penn State product had returned the field Wednesday doing individual drills and was already doing smooth cuts again:

Barkley was off to a strong start to his second NFL season before the injury. He'd tallied 37 carries for 237 yards (6.4 YPC) with one touchdown and 11 receptions for 74 yards.

He led the league with 2,028 yards from scrimmage in 2018 en route to being named Offensive Rookie of the Year and earning a Pro Bowl selection.

Wayne Gallman filled the void admirably in last week's win over the Washington Redskins. He racked up 118 total yards and two touchdowns (one rushing and one receiving) on 24 touches.

"I was comfortable from the snap," he told reporters. "You know, I've been waiting for this moment a long time. I've been ready for it. Just been waiting a long time for it and wasn't going to let it get away from me."

Gallman should remain heavily involved Sunday, even if Barkley makes a shockingly quick return. It's hard to imagine New York would saddle their franchise rusher with 25-plus touches right away, especially with a short turnaround to face the New England Patriots on Thursday Night Football.

Barkley's status should become clearer based on his practice involvement over the next two days.