The NFL Network reports Saquon Barkley is expected to be sidelined for just a couple of weeks following his exit from Sunday’s game with a hamstring injury. He left the first quarter of the 24-20 defeat to the Los Angeles Rams with the issue, and the Eagles received positive word on Monday. Barkley is regarded as week-to-week rather than facing a lengthy absence.
The Injury That Changed the Game
Barkley suffered an injury on a run in the opening period. Prior to that play, he had rushed twice for eight yards. Dom (@ZeroChillSports) posted a photo that appeared to show Barkley pulling his hamstring during the run, after which he left the contest.
The Eagles made Tank Bigsby their backup running back. He came over from Jacksonville in a trade with Philadelphia last September, a move that brought him to the team as a 2023 third-round pick. In his first season with the Eagles, Bigsby ran for 344 yards while averaging 5.9 yards per carry.
Bigsby rushed for 36 yards and a touchdown on 14 attempts in Week 4. He added 14 more carries for 55 yards during Sunday’s contest. However, he was hurt in the fourth quarter and will be placed on injured reserve for core muscle surgery. That means he’ll miss at least four weeks, with his earliest possible return scheduled for Nov. 8, when the team faces the New York Giants.
What Losing Bigsby Means
A team that was already thin at running back has lost Bigsby, which matters greatly. Now that Barkley is week-to-week, the Eagles have fewer choices in the backfield.
Will Shipley could see more work if Barkley misses Week 5. Shipley had the second-most rushing yards at 23 on six carries in Week 4. He finished last season with 14 carries for 49 yards in 15 games. Quarterback Jalen Hurts was the team’s third-best rusher in Sunday’s loss, finishing with five carries for 18 yards on the ground.
Wide receiver DeVonta Smith and tight end Dallas Goedert are both sidelined by injury, a situation that reduces Hurts’ available receiving targets overall.
A Struggling Running Game
The Eagles are not moving the ball well on the ground right now. They are hovering toward the middle of the pack in total rushing yards (436) and sit toward the bottom in rushing touchdowns (2).
Barkley’s numbers this season have been solid but unspectacular. Through three games in 2026, he ran for 174 yards with a 5.1 yards-per-carry average. He is still searching for his first touchdown run of the season.
The 29-year-old has a strong history with the Eagles. He rushed for 3,145 yards and 20 touchdowns during his first two seasons with the team, including a 2,000-yard campaign in 2024. That season also included a Super Bowl win for Philadelphia.
The Schedule Ahead
The Eagles dropped to 2-2 following a defeat against the Rams, their second consecutive loss. The Chicago Bears beat them 27-7 in Week 3, coming on the heels of an opening run that included wins over the Washington Commanders and Tennessee Titans.
The Eagles will take on the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 5, and it may prove to be a difficult contest, particularly if they are missing their starting running back.
Here is how the running back situation breaks down:
- Saquon Barkley: week-to-week
- Tank Bigsby: on IR, out at least four weeks
- Will Shipley: second-most rushing yards in Week 4
- Jalen Hurts: third-best rusher in Sunday’s game
The days ahead will reveal the tale. Whether the Eagles can continue their run depends on Barkley’s availability.
Source material: “Saquon Barkley injury update: Eagles star considered week-to-week, per report,” CBS Sports.
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