New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley has been named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his Week 16 performance against the Washington Redskins.
The second-year running back and 2018 Offensive Rookie of the Year set a Giants record with 279 yards from scrimmage (189 rushing and 90 receiving) in the 41-35 win over the Redskins. The previous record of 276 yards was set by Tiki Barber vs. Philadelphia on Dec. 28, 2002. Barber rushed for 203 yards and added 73 receiving yards.
Barkley’s 279 scrimmage yards are the highest total by an NFL player in a game this season. He easily outdistanced the previous mark of 245 yards, set by Jacksonville’s Leonard Fournette in a victory in Denver on Sept. 29. Fournette rushed for 225 yards and added 20 more on two receptions.
Barkley had been slow to regain his form after suffering a high ankle sprain in the Giants’ Week 3 victory at Tampa Bay. He returned to action in Week 7 against Arizona but was unable to shake the aftereffects of the injury for then next month. He did not rush for over 100 yards again until Week 15, when he gained 112 yards on the ground against Miami.
Despite the injury, Barkley has 911 rushing yards on the season and needs 89 yards against the Eagles this week to log in his second consecutive 1,000-yard season. Barkley also has 413 receiving yards on 49 receptions this season.
