Saquon Barkley vs Kenneth Walker

“With a new offensive coordinator and a healthy offensive line, it's not hard to start seeing the positives for Barkley. The Eagles running back is the undoubted No. 1 RB on an offense that will score points.”

“Barkley had an absurd number of touches in 2024 and ran hot on explosive runs. Once he and the Eagles were hit with regression, it was no wonder things crashed back to Earth.”

“Saquon Barkley landed a lucrative Eagles pact in 2024 and again the following year, with his total guarantee figure of $36MM on the latter accord leading the way at the running back position amongst veterans.”

“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.”

“The most significant offseason addition on offense for the Chiefs was running back Kenneth Walker III, and their offseason actions would suggest they want to improve their running game, possibly leaning on Walker to take some work off Mahomes' plate in his return from knee surgery.”

“The Chiefs added Super Bowl LX MVP Kenneth Walker in free agency and made three top-40 picks in this year's draft, using a 6-11 2025 record to their advantage.”

“With the expectation that the offense could lean more heavily on the running game early in the season, Walker could see a significant touch count right away, and the hosts believe he possesses legitimate top-10 fantasy upside.”

“Walker has struggled to handle a heavy workload throughout his career and has often found himself sharing touches. Walker brings exactly what Kansas City's backfield has been missing: explosiveness, with elite explosive run rate and ability to force missed tackles.”

“With his salivating mix of talent and efficiency, Walker should be an explosive RB1 in 2026.”

“Last year, Walker ranked second in explosive run rate, first in missed tackle rate, ninth in yards per route run, and 12th in first downs per route run. He was a per-touch efficiency marvel.”

“Kenneth Walker arrives in Kansas City as the Chiefs' new lead back. Walker had a disappointing season in 2025 from a fantasy standpoint as the RB28 in fantasy points per game, but it's easy to see why it unfolded that way.”

“The addition of Kenneth Walker III will likely also reduce their reliance on short throws to Rice as a replacement for the traditional run game.”

“Fitzmaurice also sounded extremely optimistic about Kenneth Walker III after selecting him in the third round. The core argument was that Kansas City desperately needed explosiveness in the backfield and finally addressed it. Fitz believes the Chiefs are serious about re-establishing the run game, and Walker's big-play ability gives him league-winning upside in that offense.”

“Kenneth Walker III became a discussion about workload expectations. The issue is whether fantasy managers are now projecting a workhorse role that simply may never exist consistently. The panel highlighted his limited goal-line usage, injury history, and the fact that Seattle carefully managed touches throughout most of his career before finally leaning heavily on him during the playoff run.”

“Kenneth Walker III signed a 3-year, $43.05 million contract with the Kansas City Chiefs to be their lead back and is currently RB9 in dynasty. That is way too high for a running back who had a great playoff run, but otherwise was an average back in a committee system in Seattle. He is stepping in to lead a Kansas City backfield that hasn't produced a 1,000-yard rusher since 2017, and he will be losing pass-catching duties to rookie Emmett Johnson and Emari Demercado.”

“Johnson joins a crowded backfield in Kansas City, where he'll work for reps behind free agent addition — and Super Bowl LX MVP — Kenneth Walker.”