NFL insider: Giants RB Saquon Barkley will see 'huge' workload if healthy

Late summer means not only that the NFL season is on the horizon, but so is fantasy football season. Some fans get as excited -- if not more so -- for their fantasy squad than the real games and with sports betting becoming more and more popular (and legal), fantasy season looks like it will only continue to grow.

With thousands of players getting ready for their fantasy football drafts this month, one of the biggest players to keep an eye on is New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley. The former No. 2 overall pick took the league by storm when he was named a Pro Bowler and the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2018, but since then, his career has been marred by injuries and he's played just 28 games in the last three seasons.

ESPN's NFL Nation reporters fielded fantasy football-related questions from staff writer Mike Triplett on Tuesday and one of them had to do with Barkley. The running back's success (or lack thereof) in the fantasy world will likely go hand-in-hand with the Giants competing in the NFC East, so he's obviously one of their most important players to keep healthy.

"Barkley has looked the best he has in years. Both quarterback Daniel Jones and coach Brian Daboll used the word  'explosive' to describe what they've seen. And it matches what is out there on the field every day," Jordan Raanan said. "In addition, the strength of the Giants' offensive line appears to be its run-blocking, Barkley should be more involved in the passing game this season, and there isn't much depth behind him. So his workload will be huge ... as long as he's healthy. That's the question: Can you trust him to stay healthy?"

Barkley said in early June that 2022 "feels like a fresh start." Both Giants fans and fantasy owners alike are likely hoping that is the case this fall.