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Saquon Barkley Fantasy Football Outlook
Boasting RB1, RB5, and RB10 overall PPR finishes, Saquon Barkley has been an explosive playmaker who's been a fantastic Fantasy asset to have on your roster. Barkley has fantastic speed, moves, and burst, displaying these regularly throughout the season, and has been a home-run hitter, one of the most important assets you can own in Fantasy.
I could watch Saquon Barkley highlights for hours. pic.twitter.com/T1UNkrf2bO
— Zach Seyko (@zach_seyko) March 6, 2024
Despite having a down year last year, Barkley still finished with 7 weeks above 15 PPR points. He now joins an Eagles offense with one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. Barkley is set up for success and could have another excellent season with the Eagles, though it's hard to envision him having a workhorse role or getting the majority of the goal-line carries, since Eagles QB Jalen Hurts scored 15 rushing touchdowns last year, and the "Tush Push" likely isn't going anywhere.
Any dip in Barkley's production, elusiveness, or speed could be due to the injury he suffered, and he's fully healthy heading into the 2024 season.
D'Andre Swift Fantasy Football Outlook
D'Andre Swift joins a Bears team that struggled along the offensive line in 2023. This could be due in part to their struggle with injuries, though, as the Bears ranked 2nd in ESPN's Run Block Win Rate last season. Projecting the Bears backfield is difficult. It's been a disgusting committee for the past few years. In 2023, RBs D'Onta Foreman, Khalil Herbert, and Roschon Johnson rotated in and out of the lineup, with none of them becoming the prominent workhorse back.
Swift profiles as more of a pass-catching back than a pure downhill runner. Swift has long been criticized for, and admitted, his lack of ability as a pure runner. Swift tended to bounce runs outside, even when the play called for an inside run. However, Swift is explosive in space, and that's likely where the Bears will want to get him.
D’Andre Swift in the first quarter:
- 7 carries
- 37 yards
- 1 touchdown— Word On The Birds (@WordOnTheBirds) November 21, 2023
Swift likely inhabits a pass-catching role for the Bears, which is good for his overall Fantasy outlook. How much he carries the ball will be important though, and the Bears will likely continue with their committee approach.
Austin Ekeler Fantasy Football Outlook
There's no need to sugarcoat. Austin Ekeler was one of the biggest Fantasy busts of the 2023 season. The entire Chargers offense struggled, and Ekeler came back prematurely from a high-ankle sprain, which could have caused mobility issues. Ekeler struggled to make big plays and was often stuffed, failing to break tackles to get to the next level or elude defenders in the backfield. Corey Linsley, the 1st Team All-Pro Center for the Chargers, went down with a heart issue and didn't play another game.
It wasn't all because of the offensive line though. Linsley's greatness may be what enabled Austin Ekeler's monster fantasy seasons in the first place. Ekeler was awful in 2023.
Since week 6, Austin Ekeler has been PFF’s lowest graded running back with a 54.8 grade. pic.twitter.com/6JPXop5FzT
— Tyler Weiss (@TylerMWeiss_) December 28, 2023
Ekeler didn't look the same and didn't wow in limited preseason action. He's also on the Commanders now, who have an offensive line ranked in the bottom eight of the league. Fellow Commander RB Brian Robinson's Pass Catching role has also been growing, and it's more likely that Robinson, by far the better pure runner in 2023, will take a majority share of handoffs. Ekeler likely plays 2nd fiddle to Robinson in the rushing game and won't be dominant in pass-catching duties.
Who Should I Draft in Fantasy Football?
Considering the overall lack of Bellcow RBs in 2023, Swift and Ekeler being mired in committee backfields as well as not profiling well as pure runners, Saquon Barkley is the best pick to make. While his ADP is sky-high (~RB4 in all formats), he is playing behind one of the best offensive lines in the NFL and should have plenty of space to show off his explosiveness.
Swift disappointed in 2023 when you consider the greatness of this Eagles' line, even if his overall finish was somewhat respectable. And Ekeler was nothing short of terrible in 2023 and hasn't gotten an upgrade from his old situation.
If you're unsure whether to draft Saquon Barkley, D'Andre Swift, or Austin Ekeler for your Fantasy teams in 2024, Saquon is by far the best choice and most likely to make an impact. You're much better off drafting other players around Swift and Ekeler's ADPs in the middle rounds of your drafts.
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