Saquon Barkley Ruled Out: Giants RB Options for Thursday Night Football

New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley has been ruled out for this week's Thursday Night Football game, according to the team's injury report released Wednesday.

Barkley suffered an ankle injury late in New York's comeback win over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 2. Giants head coach Brian Daboll hinted during a press conference Tuesday that the two-time Pro Bowler still had a chance to play in Week 3. Daboll called Barkley a "quick healer" and said he was feeling much better since the Cardinals game. But Barkley was still ruled out a day later.

The 26-year-old has not participated in practice this week. Barkley is one of four players the Giants ruled out Wednesday. Starting offensive linemen Andrew Thomas (hamstring) and Ben Bredeson (concussion) were also ruled out, as was defensive end Azeez Ojulari (hamstring). The Giants (1-1) face off against the San Francisco 49ers (2-0) at 8:15 p.m. ET Thursday in Santa Clara, California.

How long could Barkley be out? And what will the Giants do without their star running back?

How Long is Saquon Barkley Out?

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Monday that Barkley suffered an "ordinary" ankle sprain that is expected to sideline him for three weeks. NFL media has reported Barkley as being week-to-week with the injury.

Daboll was asked about those reports on Tuesday.

"I just think with every injury, until you're with the player, you see the player...I don't know, you might heal a little bit different than I heal, I might heal a little bit different than another player heals," Daboll said. "So, again, Saquon is, I'd say he's a lot better than maybe I thought he would be, or some other people thought he would be today. So again, he might heal a little bit different than another player, if you will.

"So, we'll just take it day-to-day with him and if he can make it [Thursday], great. If he can't, we'll see if he can get better by the following week, and we'll just take it one day at a time."

Giants Turn to Backup Running Backs

The Giants will take the field with Matt Breida, Gary Brightwell and Eric Gray as running back options without Barkley.

Breida is listed as the No. 2 running back on New York's depth chart. The seventh-year pro could see the majority of the carries in Barkley's absence unless the Giants decide to go with a by-committee approach in the backfield.

Breida has appeared in 83 games for four teams over his NFL career. The 28-year-old's most productive season came in 2018 with the 49ers when he rushed for a career-high 814 yards and three touchdowns. Breida is in his second season with the Giants and earned praise from Daboll on Tuesday.

"He's a pro," Daboll said of Breida. "He knows what to do, he knows how to do it, he's done it for a while. He's got speed, he's got some quickness about him. He's had some productive years as a runner, he was at San Francisco. He's just a pro and he knows our system well and we have confidence in him."

Brightwell has 33 rushing attempts in three NFL seasons with the Giants. Gray, a rookie, has not touched the ball on offense in two games.

Barkley's Injury History Explained

Barkley, fresh off of a career-high 1,312 rushing yards last season, had accounted for 155 total yards and two touchdowns through two games before leaving against the Cardinals.

The former No. 2 overall pick has dealt with two serious ankle injuries in the NFL that kept him out multiple weeks. Barkley missed three games in 2019 with an ankle injury and four in 2021. After Thursday night's game, the Giants have 11 days until they play next. Daboll was asked Tuesday if having that long off period between games would impact the team's decision to play Barkley in Week 3.

"I think it all factors in, but ultimately I go back to the player and see where he's at," Daboll said.

Barkley suffered a torn ACL during a Week 2 contest in 2020 and missed the rest of the season.