Saquon Barkley vs Josh Allen

“Over the last two seasons, Barkley has averaged just 35 receptions for 275 receiving yards and two touchdowns. A decline in per-touch efficiency, as he nears 30, is also working against him, as he has steadily transitioned away from being a big-play threat and into more of a volume-based option at running back.”

“This means that former Jaguars back Tank Bigsby is likely the man behind Saquon Barkley to start the season. Barkley has been relatively healthy the past several seasons, though he is coming off his worst fantasy finish since 2021. Barkley is also on the precipice of his age-29 season, the age at which most running backs begin to decline rapidly in efficiency.”

“Saquon Barkley (RB, Eagles) was the top-rated player from the NFL Top 100 for the 2025 season.”

“Eagles RB Saquon Barkley recalled being annoyed by Sirianni during his time with the Giants, but his viewpoint changed after coming to Philadelphia. "When you're going against it, you can't stand it," Barkley said. "If you don't know Nick Sirianni, it's easy not to like Nick Sirianni."”

“He averaged 14.5 PPR fantasy points per game last season, his lowest mark since 2021. Furthermore, Barkley averaged 4.1 yards per rushing attempt and had 13 breakaway runs last year. By comparison, he averaged 5.8 yards per rushing attempt and had 25 breakaway runs during his 2024 fantasy MVP season. After finishing last year as the RB14, fantasy players should avoid drafting Barkley at his $31 value, the ninth-highest among running backs.”

“The former Penn State star averaged 14.5 PPR fantasy points per game last season, his lowest mark since 2021. Furthermore, he averaged 4.1 yards per rushing attempt and had 13 breakaway runs last year. By comparison, Barkley averaged 5.8 yards per rushing attempt and had 25 breakaway runs during his 2024 fantasy MVP season.”

“Barkley's target volume will be heavily dependent on Mannion's concerted effort to design opportunities for him. Should he neglect to do so, this will be more mediocre usage of one of the team's most explosive assets.”

“Barkley is a major beneficiary of this system, which heavily prioritizes RBs in the passing game via designed screens, wheel routes, and play-action checkdowns. In Mannion's timing-based scheme, play-action will freeze second-level defenders, leaving Barkley wide open on underneath routes to turn his 60 projected targets into high-value PPR production.”

“After finishing last year as the RB14, Barkley averaged 14.5 PPR fantasy points per game, his lowest mark since 2021, and averaged 4.1 yards per rushing attempt and had 13 breakaway runs, compared to 5.8 yards per rushing attempt and 25 breakaway runs during his fantasy MVP season in 2024. Fantasy players should avoid drafting Barkley as a mid-range RB1.”

“Saquon Barkley reached out to former Rams RB Todd Gurley to ask for his advice as he seeks to have a bounce-back season in 2026. Barkley said he felt he was able to get himself in better shape coming into the offseason with extra weeks to prepare after an earlier-than-desired end to the season.”

“Landing Saquon Barkley at pick 2.12 was ideal.”

“They also noted declines in some of Barkley's efficiency metrics over the last two seasons and questioned whether Philadelphia's offensive line could remain dominant enough to support another elite finish.”

“Josh Allen feels fortunate that the team has QB coach Bo Hardegree to add experience and new concepts to the playbook. Allen noted that while the playbook may be similar to what he's been in for the last eight years, there are a lot of different nuances this year, and Hardegree brings knowledge from his previous stops in the league.”

“Paying up to get a surefire QB only worked for Josh Allen. Even then, the gains don't outweigh the losses: Sure, Allen got 3.2 more PPG over QB10, but I'd rather have Caleb Williams and $31.”

“Allen has finished as the QB1 or QB2 every season over the past six years, despite not having a big-name No. 1 wide receiver since Stefon Diggs was traded away. Yet, the superstar quarterback hasn't needed an elite set of weapons because of his touchdown production, totaling at least 39 passing and rushing scores in six consecutive seasons.”

“Josh Allen is listed as the QB1, which is fine and fairly standard, but his ADP is 4.42. Allen finished with about 43 more points than Matthew Stafford last season. At MFL, you need to spend a top-five pick to acquire him, which doesn't make any sense from a fantasy football perspective.”

“Josh Allen is coming off his lowest passing yardage since 2019 (3,668), and for the past three seasons, he's not broken the 30 passing touchdown barrier. Allen sustains his value purely through rushing touchdowns with 41 in the last three seasons.”

“Josh Allen was worth his QB1 capital, returning value on his ADP as the only top-seven quarterback in ADP to finish as a QB1.”

“He's either finished as the fantasy QB1 or QB2 for the last six straight seasons. In Superflex? Allen is the top player on the board. Even over Jahmyr Gibbs and Bijan Robinson.”

“The pinnacle of consistency, Josh Allen has been living at the top for years now. In fact, he finished as the QB1, QB2, and QB1 in 2023, '24, and '25, respectively.”

“You cannot blame Josh Allen's overall performance as the reason they cannot seem to accomplish their goals of making it to and then winning the Super Bowl.”

“If you look at the 24 quarterbacks with at least 50 playoff pass attempts since 2020, Allen is the #1 most efficient quarterback in the playoffs. #1 in EPA per play (+0.15) #1 in success rate (50%)”

“Josh Allen's 18.5 ADP is the problem, as the quarterback position has never been deeper for fantasy players, with Brock Bowers (19.6), Nico Collins (19.7), and Omarion Hampton (19.8) having a later ADP than Allen despite all three should getting drafted over the superstar quarterback.”

“Allen is the only one with an ADP inside the top 50 picks among the five elite quarterbacks.”