The Philadelphia Eagles have been far from a dominant team through two games in 2026, barely squeaking by against the Washington Commanders and Tennessee Titans. Now, running back Saquon Barkley is dealing with an injury and could even find his status in doubt for his team’s next game on Monday Night Football in Week 3.
We’ll get more news on his status throughout the week, but in the meantime, waivers run in most fantasy leagues tonight. Should fantasy football managers add Tank Bigsby or Will Shipley after Barkley’s injury?
Add Tank Bigsby or Will Shipley after Saquon Barkley’s injury?
Decision-making time for the Week 3 waiver wire looms. Barkley’s injury may not necessarily be that bad, but details are somewhat scarce as of this time. The veteran running back left Sunday’s game early; while he did return to the contest for a bit, he didn’t end up finishing the game. It turns out that he suffered a stinger in Week 2 and was scheduled to undergo an MRI, but there hasn’t been an update from head coach Nick Sirianni yet since then.
Could Barkley play in the Eagles’ upcoming Monday Night Football matchup? He could definitely end up suiting up if he’s feeling better towards the end of the week, especially since this isn’t a long-term issue by any means. However, there’s also a chance that the team chooses to prioritize his health since it’s a long season – it is only Week 3, after all.
If that’s the case, then which of Bigsby or Shipley is the better add from the waiver wire this week?
In Week 2’s matchup, Bigsby did lead the Philadelphia backfield in rush attempts. He saw 13 carries but produced just 33 yards with those chances also getting tackled for a loss twice. However, he did score a two-yard touchdown and haul in both of his targets in the passing game. On the other hand, Shipley handled seven carries for 24 yards and caught both of his targets as well. While his workload wasn’t quite as high as Bigsby’s, he was the more productive back in terms of efficiency. What’s the play in fantasy, if we’re choosing just one of these guys on the wire?
There are some underlying numbers that should matter in the decision between these two running backs. First up, look at the snap counts. Bigsby saw more rush attempts, but he was out-snapped 39-26 on the day by Shipley, who played the majority of the snaps at 51%. We know that Shipley is capable of handling a third-down role as a blocker and receiver, which has generally been a weakness in Bigsby’s game over the years. Beyond that, the red-zone role also provides an edge. Bigsby scored the touchdown in Week 2 and saw the lone touch at the goal line, but he tallied just two touches inside the red zone. Conversely, Shipley took four rush attempts inside the 20-yard line.
Neither one of these guys is a truly stellar add on the waiver wire since Barkley might play. However, if the star does miss Week 3 against the Chicago Bears, Shipley does feel like the better play for fantasy football. He was simply on the field more than Bigsby was and is more capable in a passing-down role as well. Against a weak defense that ranks 23rd in rushing yards allowed through two weeks, I like the chance for Shipley to make an impact as long as he sees around 10 touches on the day given the trust in the receiving game and the red zone.
