The Eagles are in some trouble after dropping back-to-back games, but the record is only half the issue for the franchise at the moment. Star running back Saquon Barkley went down with an injury this past week and may miss some time with a hamstring issue. With that development, it’s time to hit the fantasy football waiver wire.
With Barkley injured, does Will Shipley become one of the top targets to pick up on the Week 5 waiver wire?
Is Will Shipley a top Week 5 waiver pickup?
There isn’t yet concrete news on Saquon Barkley’s status, but here’s what we do know. In Week 4’s loss to the Rams, he left early due to a hamstring injury and didn’t return to the contest. Reporting from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport suggested that the injury may not be serious, but the star will undergo some tests with more details yet to come.
It doesn’t sound too bad for Barkley, but hamstring issues can linger at times. That could spell trouble for his status in Week 5 and a little bit beyond, but there’s more reason for Philadelphia fans to worry. Backup Tank Bigsby, who saw the bulk of the work when the starter went down, is now headed to IR with a core injury of his own. Now, the team will turn further down the depth chart in Week 5 against the Jaguars.
That spells significant opportunity for Will Shipley, who seems to be the next man standing in this backfield. He has just 51 rushing yards on 15 attempts in three games this season, but there could be a little bit of viability in fantasy football for the former fourth-round pick.
The idea is simply that volume could propel Shipley into the conversation as a potential FLEX play in Week 5. The Eagles don’t carry a fourth running back on the active roster, so we’re likely looking at an elevation from the practice squad for Jaydon Blue or Dameon Pierce, both of whom are more recent acquisitions compared to Shipley, who’s in year three with Philadelphia. After the team fell to 2-2 last week, the games are getting more important as they try and separate from the pack in the NFC. Putting a trustworthy name who knows the playbook in the backfield could be appealing to this coaching staff.
In fantasy, it’s tough to trust a running back with just 49 NFL carries to his name. However, someone has to get work in this backfield. Back in Week 2, Shipley handled seven carries for 24 yards when Barkley went down with an injury, but he also saw a pair of targets in the passing game, both of which he caught. He’s seen occasional third-down duties over the last couple of seasons and was also given four rush attempts inside the 20-yard line in that Week 2 contest, so he would likely have a grip on higher-value touches in Week 5 if Barkley doesn’t play.
He’s not a stellar add on the waiver wire this week, but 10+ carries and a couple of targets could be enough for Shipley to flirt with FLEX appeal against Jacksonville if his star teammate doesn’t suit up. If Barkley misses beyond Week 5, then of course, Shipley would be a more valuable stash as well. Don’t get too excited if you add him, but there’s reason to look his way when filling out your claims.
