The Philadelphia Eagles have placed running back Dameon Pierce on injured reserve this week, joining Tank Bigsby and Will Shipley. After re-aggravating his hamstring injury in Week 7, Saquon Barkley is trending in the wrong direction for Week 8. This leaves the Eagles with very limited options at running back.
Elijah Mitchell is expected to serve as the lead back in Philadelphia if Barkley is unable to suit up. The team has also signed Jaydon Blue to their active roster, and he would likely play a role as Mitchell’s backup.
Fantasy Impact
RB Saquon Barkley, Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles allowing Barkley to continue playing last week when he was clearly injured was a bizarre decision. Everyone watching in real time could see that wasn’t a good idea, but based on recent evidence, it’s possible the Eagles don’t prioritize the safety and health of their players.
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We would be surprised if they put him out there in Week 8, but it’s clearly a possibility. However, he didn’t practice on Wednesday and is unlikely to practice today. He has an uphill battle to play on Sunday Night Football, and you need to have a backup plan if he heads into Sunday as a goal-line decision.
RB Elijah Mitchell, Philadelphia Eagles
Mitchell should be picked up in all fantasy leagues. He is likely to be the Eagles’ RB1 this week, a role we just saw Pierce have success in. There is no reason to believe that Mitchell can’t have just as much success as Pierce, and the team is going to continue leaning on their rushing attack with Tanner McKee under center regardless of who is in the backfield.
While we don’t view Mitchell as a must-start player, he is a startable option if Barkley is out. However, he is a must-roster player, even if it’s just to block someone else from having him. It’s possible that he’s the starter for multiple weeks.
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RB Jaydon Blue, Philadelphia Eagles
Blue can be picked up in deep leagues as a speculative add. We don’t expect much out of him, and we certainly wouldn’t start him this week, but he’s now the RB2 in Philly.
He is an injury away from potentially being the RB1, and he could see a bigger role than we are expecting if they don’t get what they want out of Mitchell. Stash him in deeper leagues if you have the roster space.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/onsi/fantasy as Fantasy Football Injury Impact: Saquon Barkley Is On Track To Miss Week 8, Allowing Elijah Mitchell To Start.
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