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FFL: Week 1 | NFL: Week 1

TE Strength of Schedule

Tue Jun 11 11:11am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

Related photo caption below

Bowers could have big year one


Using our rules for our money leagues, we came up with a schedule strength ranking for the tight end position. We are using our fantasy defenses report to calculate the rankings. This report can be found in all of our leagues under the "reports" heading. We took the schedule of each team and entered the average number of fantasy points allowed to tight ends last season from all of their opponents to get our fantasy points allowed number. This is a good indication of the tight ends with the most favorable schedules for fantasy scoring for the coming season. Defenses obviously change from year to year, but knowing the tight ends that might have the easiest schedule for fantasy is always a good idea when formulating your rankings and draft strategy.

  TE SOS  
1. Cincinnati Bengals 186.39
2. Miami Dolphins 193.98
3. Philadelphia Eagles 196.38
4. Washington Commanders 197.75
5. Houston Texans 198.15
6. Pittsburgh Steelers 199.18
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 199.68
8. New York Giants 201
9. Dallas Cowboys 201.18
10. Los Angeles Rams 201.38
11. Buffalo Bills 201.39
12. Chicago Bears 201.66
13. Arizona Cardinals 201.76
14. New York Jets 202.56
15. Jacksonville Jaguars 202.86
16. Baltimore Ravens 203.04
17. Denver Broncos 203.95
18. Los Angeles Chargers 204.02
19. Atlanta Falcons 204.25
20. Cleveland Browns 204.59
21. New Orleans Saints 205.62
22. Seattle Seahawks 205.73
23. San Francisco 49ers 206.80
24. Indianapolis Colts 206.89
25. Detroit Lions 207.92
26. New England Patriots 208.23
27. Kansas City Chiefs 210.92
28. Tennessee Titans 211.44
29. Green Bay Packers 212.07
30. Minnesota Vikings 212.23
31. Carolina Panthers 213.66
32. Las Vegas Raiders 213.81


A rookie led fantasy tight ends in scoring last year and the top rated rookie tight end this year gets the easiest fantasy schedule for tight end. Brock Browers and the Raiders have the most favorable schedule for tight ends. Sam LaPorta showed last year that a rookie can make an immediate fantasy impact, so don’t discount Browers to have big-time success in year one. He certainly looks the part of an elite tight end.

Another rookie with a good chance to start has the second easiest schedule for tight ends. Panthers tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders will compete with Tommy Tremble to start, but should emerge and be the top pass-catching tight end. He is looking like a good late-round gamble for fantasy teams.

The Vikings, Packers and Titans round out the top-five most favorable schedules for tight ends. T.J. Hockenson would be looking like a great pick if he wasn’t returning from a major injury. He is no sure thing to play early in the year. But once he is healthy, he could help fantasy teams in a big way once again.

Green Bay is likely to have Luke Musgrave and Tucker Kraft split a lot of the work at tight end, hurting both their value. They could produce some big games along the way, though, making them decent No. 2 fantasy tight ends this season. Both produced well in an expanded role last year.

Lastly, Chin Okonkwo didn’t quite have the breakout season many hoped last year, but he wasn’t bad by any means. Maybe he gets a few more chances this year and has some bigger games along the way with this favorable schedule. He is another decent tight end to grab as your backup.

The teams that top the list for toughest fantasy tight end schedules are teams that haven’t really utilized the tight end much in recent seasons. The Bengals have the toughest schedule followed bye the Dolphins. Mike Gesicki is the starter for the Bengals, but probably isn’t worth the risk with this schedule and the Bengals recent track record with tight ends.

Miami uses their tight ends to block more than anything in their offense. They have the occasional big game, but Jonnu Smith is going to be a risky weekly fantasy play. He would have looked much better landing with a different team.

There are a couple big-time fantasy tight ends that have unfavorable schedules. Dallas Goedert has the third toughest schedule. Goedert can be a little hit or miss to begin with in this offense, so this schedule gives him a little more concern. You might want to pass on him come draft day and go with another elite tight end with a better schedule and more consistency.

Dalton Schultz is the other elite tight end with a top-five unfavorable schedule. Schultz had a big first season with the Texans, becoming a favorite target of C.J. Stroud. He should get the targets this year. But he has a challenging schedule and more to compete with for targets, so his consistency might be a little off this year compared to last. 

We also wanted to look at playoff schedules for fantasy tight ends. So we crunched the numbers of all the schedules from Week 14-17, which is the fantasy playoffs for most leagues. We know you have to get to the playoffs first, but knowing the tight ends with the easiest playoff schedules doesn’t hurt by any means, especially in the big-money contests.

  TE PLAYOFF SOS  
1. Atlanta Falcons 175
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 182.37
3. Philadelphia Eagles 184.73
4. Arizona Cardinals 187.67
5. Jacksonville Jaguars 187.77
6. New England Patriots 189.83
7. Miami Dolphins 190.37
8. New Orleans Saints 191.3
9. Los Angeles Rams 192.17
10. Pittsburgh Steelers 192.43
11. Cincinnati Bengals 196.1
12. Detroit Lions 196.12
13. Houston Texans 196.2
14. Indianapolis Colts 198.97
15. Buffalo Bills 199.63
16. Kansas City Chiefs 203.03
17. New York Jets 204.13
18. Carolina Panthers 205.7
19. Baltimore Ravens 205.9
20. Green Bay Packers 207.7
21. Chicago Bears 213.73
22. New York Giants 214.27
23. Seattle Seahawks 214.72
24. Cleveland Browns 214.97
25. Dallas Cowboys 215.8
26. Las Vegas Raiders 219.4
27. Washington Commanders 220.13
28. Denver Broncos 220.8
29. Minnesota Vikings 221.72
30. Tennessee Titans 223.73
31. San Francisco 49ers 225.53
32. Los Angeles Chargers 228.53


The Titans and Vikings are the only two teams with the most favorable fantasy schedule for tight ends during the regular season and playoffs. Hockenson is the intriguing one because he might not be fully healthy until late in the season. So while he might not be a huge fantasy factor for the regular season, Hockenson might be a difference maker in the playoffs.

Okonkwo is looking like a player worth grabbing as a No. 2 fantasy tight end, especially if you have an established starter ahead of him. Okonkwo has a high fantasy ceiling for the coming year because of a schedule that could facilitate a breakout season for him.

The Chargers actually have the best fantasy playoff schedule for tight ends. Donald Parham is the likely starter and has some potential in an offense looking for playmakers in the passing game. This could be his best season to date, making him an intriguing late-round gamble.

George Kittle is the biggest name on the list for top-five favorable fantasy tight end playoff schedules. He is going to produce big and could be even better down the stretch with a schedule setup for success.

The Falcons have the most challenging playoff schedule for fantasy tight ends. This is not good news for Kyle Pitts. He is already a polarizing fantasy player, so this schedule won’t do him any favors to get in good graces with more fantasy owners. Many think he could finally turn things around this year with a new coaching staff in place, but nothing is certain with this situation. Pitts could be a boom or bust pick once again.

The Eagles are the only team on both the top five most difficult fantasy schedules for tight ends for the regular season and playoffs. Goedert is looking like a player you might want to let someone else grab come draft day. There are a lot of good, young options at tight end this year. Going with one of those guys over Goedert might be the play on draft day.

Trey McBride is a favorite for many fantasy owners this year for a breakout season. He had a huge finish to last year and is shooting up draft boards. We wouldn’t avoid him come draft day because he has the fourth toughest fantasy playoff schedule. It is a little bit of a concern, but not a huge red flag for the talented tight end. Maybe just prepare for his numbers to dip a tad during the playoffs.

Jeff Paur is a two-time finalist for FSWA Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and won the FSWA award for Best Fantasy Football Article on the Web in 2011. He also was the most accurate expert in 2012, winning the FSTA Fantasy Football Accuracy Award. If you have any questions for Jeff, email him at jeff@rtsports.com. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.

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Starts/Sits: Week 1

Player Notes
Jaelan Phillips Sep 8 7:30am ET
Jaelan Phillips

Miami Dolphins Pro Bowl defensive back Jalen Ramsey (hamstring) will try to play through his hamstring injury in Sunday's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He may be limited in the number of snaps he takes to help reduce the risk of re-aggravating the injury, though, and it's yet to be seen how many. Ramsey missed time last year after suffering a meniscus tear; the Dolphins handed him a three-year, $72.3 million deal. It's safe to assume he can still play at a high level. Ramsey will turn 30 this year, so his best days are likely behind him. However, defensive cornerstone Jaelan Phillips is returning from an Achilles tear, and there are many new pieces and a new defensive coordinator, so there are better D/STs to start this week over the Dolphins.

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Tyler Lockett Sep 8 7:20am ET
Tyler Lockett

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett (thigh) is expected to play Sunday against the Denver Broncos. He is coming off a down year, having failed to reach 1,000 yards receiving and scored under eight touchdowns for the first time in five years. Lockett will join DK Metcalf and Jaxon Smith-Njigba as Seattle's clear top three wide receivers. It's unclear what Lockett's exact role will be under new offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, but Lockett still received a healthy 122 targets in 2023, so he's shown he has some left in the tank. Fantasy managers may be better off leaving him on the bench, though, as his injury could affect his play. Lockett is currently WR44 in the latest RotoBaller Week 1 rankings, making him a flex play at best for the season opener.

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Kyren Williams Sep 8 6:30am ET
Kyren Williams

The Detroit Lions defensive/special teams unit struggled last year, allowing the 10th most points in the league. On top of that, the Los Angeles Rams scored the eighth-most points the previous year. With Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua, and Kyren Williams being healthy, the Lions will have a challenging task to slow down the Rams' potent offense. Williams had 1,144 yards on only 228 attempts last year, adding 206 yards through the air, making the second-year running back one of the best in the league last year. The Rams also have a pair of superstar receivers in Kupp and Nacua. Nacua had over 1,486 yards on 105 catches in his rookie season last year. Detroit is ranked 31st among all team defenses in the latest RotoBaller Week 1 DST rankings. With many weapons to worry about all over the field and a lackluster 2023 season, fantasy managers should avoid starting the Lions D/ST and look for another DST streamer for Week 1.

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Jameson Williams Sep 8 6:20am ET
Jameson Williams

Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams has a good matchup against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday night, but the first-round receiver has never had a real chance to show how good he can be. Entering his third year, Williams only has 25 catches for 395 yards and three touchdowns under his belt. The 6-foot-1, 180-pound receiver boasted over 1,500 yards in his final college season and is the WR2 on the Lions depth chart. Williams also has 4.4 speed and will be Jared Goff's favorite deep-threat target this season. With Sam LaPorta and Amon-Ra St. Brown being the biggest names on offense, Williams could fly under the radar and see some surprising productivity. That said, he has yet to prove himself and is still risky. Williams is a decent WR3/flex option and ranked as the WR46 in RotoBaller's Week 1 rankings.

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Jake Bates Sep 8 6:20am ET
Jake Bates

Detroit Lions Kicker Jake Bates will face the Los Angeles Rams at home in Week 1. Bates had a good season in the UFL earlier this year, kicking a 64-yard field goal and two other field goals of 60 or more yards. The 25-year-old had never attempted a field goal in his football career until earlier this year, but he proved during his time in the UFL that he could hang with the best. He signed a two-year deal with the Lions this offseason and could be considered to start just because of how high-scoring this matchup is expected to be. Bates is listed as K18 on RotoBaller's Week 1 Rankings.

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Ja'Marr Chase Sep 8 3:10am ET
Ja'Marr Chase

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (illness, hold-in) remains questionable for Sunday's contest versus the New England Patriots. The wideout spent most of training camp spectating while searching for a new contract. As a result, various reports over the last month or so indicated he may not be willing to play until he gets a deal of his liking. Chase is adamant that his availability against the Patriots (and beyond) is his decision, so there's still a chance he could suit up. However, even if he's in uniform for the opener, his workload is expected to be reduced, considering his inactivity throughout camp and during recent practices. With Tee Higgins (hamstring) doubtful, Joe Burrow's fantasy outlook isn't as promising. As such, the Bengals may rely more on the running game, giving Zack Moss and Chase Brown higher fantasy ceilings. At the same time, players like Andrei Iosivas, Trenton Irwin, and Jermaine Burton will draw flex consideration. As far as Chase is concerned, he's still a must-start fantasy option if he plays, especially since he's one of the best receivers in the National Football League.

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Nick Bosa Sep 8 2:50am ET
Nick Bosa

The San Francisco 49ers defense / special teams unit opens up against the New York Jets at home on Monday night. San Francisco entered 2023 projected to be a Top-3 fantasy squad but failed to hit such a lofty mark, finishing 11th in the NFL by Yahoo default scoring. It wasn't that the Niners were bad, they just didn't produce in a wildly unpredictable but important stat -- touchdowns (1). They also didn't get to the quarterback at a high level, finishing near the middle of the pack in sacks. Part of that may be attributable to edge rusher Nick Bosa's holdout and subsequent rustiness at the beginning of last year, so there's room for optimism on that front as well. San Francisco's is still a quality unit worth rostering. A healthy Jets offense will provide a formidable test on Monday night though, as Aaron Rodgers brings Breece Hall, Garrett Wilson, and PFF's fifth-ranked offensive line. Consider the 49ers D/ST to be on the back end of the Top 5 in Week 1.

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Antonio Gibson Sep 8 2:50am ET
Antonio Gibson

New England Patriots running back Antonio Gibson (hip) is anticipated to suit up for Sunday's game versus the Bengals. The former Commander appeared in Thursday's edition of the injury report because of a hip issue, which limited his participation at practice. Fortunately, he felt a little better on Friday, so things were moving in the right direction regarding his availability against Cincinnati. With that in mind, Gibson will be behind Rhamondre Stevenson. However, with questions surrounding the potential of the New England offense, it will be tough for anyone on that side of the ball to do anything meaningful for fantasy managers, at least consistently. Keep Gibson benched in all fantasy setups in Week 1.

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Jake Moody Sep 8 1:40am ET
Jake Moody

San Francisco 49ers kicker Jake Moody will open his sophomore season with a Monday night home game versus the New York Jets. Moody finished his rookie season in 2023 tied with Atlanta's Younghoe Koo as the K17 in fantasy points per game. Moody and Koo took very different routes to those numbers, though. Moody only attempted 25 field goals to Koo's 37. The difference was made up in extra points, as Moody led the league in the category and set a record with 53 straight. Lack of opportunity aside, Moody does have room for improvement in his accuracy; he recorded an 84% last year, which was near the bottom of the league. The Jets defense is expected to be stout but if their defense is anything like last year's, the 49ers should be able to move the ball on the ground at least. The weather in Santa Clara on Monday night is expected to be near-perfect. Moody is a back-end fantasy starter in Week 1.

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George Kittle Sep 8 12:30am ET
George Kittle

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle will open his eighth NFL season when the team hosts the New York Jets on Monday night. The former Iowa Hawkeye had another successful season in 2023, finishing with 1,020 yards on 60 catches and six touchdowns, which earned him the overall TE5 slot in half-PPR. While the Jets were elite against the pass last year -- ranking second-best in the NFL in passing yards -- they were ordinary at preventing TE fantasy production (13th). While Kittle may have been pushed down in ADP this year by younger dynamic tight ends like Detroit's Sam LaPorta and Arizona's Trey McBride, Kittle is still worthy of starting lineups when healthy. Roll with Kittle in the middle of the TE1 landscape this week.

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Jared Goff Sep 8 12:30am ET
Jared Goff

Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff will begin the 2024-25 campaign on Sunday night against the Rams, his former club. The 29-year-old had arguably his best season in 2023-24, throwing for 4,575 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions, adding two scores on the ground. As a result, Detroit rewarded him with a lucrative contract extension in the offseason. Without question, the Lions offense is loaded with talent, with Amon-Ra St. Brown, David Montgomery, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Sam LaPorta on the roster. With all those weapons in Goff's arsenal, he's a must-start in all fantasy formats in Week 1. Unless things go in a completely different direction from last season, fantasy managers will likely keep Goff in the lineup for the entire year.

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Keenan Allen Sep 8 12:20am ET
Keenan Allen

According to Chicago Bears head coach Matt Eberflus, wide receiver Keenan Allen (heel) is expected to be on the field for Week 1 against the Titans. The 32-year-old has been battling a heel issue and carried a questionable designation. However, barring a setback, it appears all signs are pointing toward his availability versus Tennessee. Allen spent his entire career with the Chargers before finding his way to The Windy City this offseason. He had a solid 2023-24 campaign, amassing 108 grabs (150 targets) for 1,243 yards and seven touchdowns. Although there could be issues caused by the inexperience of rookie quarterback Caleb Williams, there's no way fantasy managers would feel comfortable keeping Allen on the bench. Granted, he'll also primarily compete for targets with DJ Moore, who is coming off a monster season. But until Allen shows signs of regression, he's a must-start in all formats in Week 1.

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Chuba Hubbard Sep 8 12:20am ET
Chuba Hubbard

Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard will likely take on the majority of the work for their season debut against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday. With rookie Jonathan Brooks (knee) still not available, Hubbard will take on the starting role, splitting reps with Miles Sanders. Hubbard finds himself with a decent matchup against New Orleans defense, a unit that allowed the thirteenth-fewest fantasy points to opposing RBs last season, as well as the eleventh-most rushing yards. Considering Hubbard will take on most of the work for Carolina, he does provide a safe enough floor to be targeted as a potential RB2 for fantasy managers.

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Russell Wilson Sep 8 12:00am ET
Russell Wilson

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson (calf) plans to play in Sunday's matchup versus the Atlanta Falcons. However, team doctors are pumping the brakes on his plans, with Schefter adding that a "final decision" will be made on Sunday morning. ESPN's Brooke Pryor also reported that Wilson will test his ailing calf during pregame warm-ups, but he's been doing anything imaginable to feel his best. Wilson will potentially debut with the Steelers in Week 1 after a subpar tenure with the Denver Broncos. Yet, he was limited during training camp, and with the possibility of residual issues caused by the injury, fantasy managers may want to look in another direction for a starting quarterback on Sunday. The same will be true if backup Justin Fields ends up under center.

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Deebo Samuel Sep 7 11:50pm ET
Deebo Samuel

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. should be the focal point of the team's passing attack when they host the New York Jets at home on Monday night. Head coach Kyle Shanahan said on Saturday that Samuel Sr.'s counterpart Brandon Aiyuk would not play as many snaps as usual following his "hold-in". This should lead to at least a slight increase in targets for Samuel Sr this week. It is also conceivable that he sees increased action in the running game as well with All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey questionable (calf/Achilles). The only significant thing working against Samuel Sr. would appear to be the strength of New York's pass defense, which allowed the second-fewest yards per game through the air last year and has returned most of their key players. It's worth noting that Jets head coach Robert Saleh said in the offseason that lockdown cornerback Sauce Gardner would spend more time following around opponents' No.1 WR this year, which in this case would seem to be Aiyuk, reduced snaps notwithstanding. Samuel Sr. rates as a high-end WR2 in fantasy this week.

From RotoBaller

Diontae Johnson Sep 7 11:50pm ET
Diontae Johnson

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Diontae Johnson will make his team debut this Sunday when the Panthers travel to take on the New Orleans Saints. Johnson was brought in to provide additional support to a unit that severely underperformed in 2023, and looks to be the WR1 for the offense. He faces a Saints defense that was above average against the pass last season, allowing the tenth-fewest receiving yards and thirteenth-fewest fantasy points to the position. That being said, the former Steeler should drive a strong target share, making him a more than viable option in the matchup. Fantasy managers should prioritize Johnson as a WR2/3

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Bryce Young Sep 7 11:30pm ET
Bryce Young

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young looks to get off on the right foot in his sophomore campaign when the Panthers travel to take on the New Orleans Saints. Young struggled in his rookie season, throwing for 2877 yards with 11 touchdowns, 10 INTs and a 2-15 record. Although the Panthers have tried to reload on both sides of the ball, Young and the Panthers face a stout Saints defense that allowed the ninth-fewest fantasy points to QBs last season. On top of that, this game also projects to be one of the lowest scoring in Week 1's slate, limiting any potential upside Young might have. Fantasy managers should wait and see how this Panthers offense performs before considering Young in lineups, and he can comfortably left on the bench in most formats this week.

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Brandon Aiyuk Sep 7 11:20pm ET
Brandon Aiyuk

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk will open the 2024 season at home versus the New York Jets vaunted pass defense on Monday night. The 26-year-old comes into the game fresh off a four-year $120 million extension inked just over a week ago after a long holdout which caused Aiyuk to miss all of camp and the preseason, though he did attend meetings. Head coach Kyle Shanahan said during a Saturday presser that Aiyuk is in good shape, but because of the demand of the wide receiver position, he will probably play a little less than usual. Aiyuk managers with other WR/FLEX options may want to consider benching Aiyuk this week, especially since the Jets pass defense ranked 2nd in the NFL in yards allowed last year and are returning most of their key players. There will probably be weeks this season when Aiyuk projects as a back-end WR1, but this week isn't one of them. Consider him an upper-edge WR3/FLEX for Monday.

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Geno Smith Sep 7 11:20pm ET
Geno Smith

The Denver Broncos defense/special teams unit had a rough start to last season before actually turning things around in a big way and being a streaming option in deeper leagues and during byes late in the year. But in Week 1 of 2024 on the road against a Seattle Seahawks offense that is expected to be dynamic under new offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, nobody is expecting much. Denver's D allowed 19.3 points per game from Weeks 6-18 last year after giving up 36.2 points per game over the first five weeks. A second year under defensive coordinator Vance Joseph should help make them more consistent, and reinforcements along the D-line should help them improve a rushing D that ranked 30th in rushing yards allowed per game in 2023. But both Kenneth Walker III on the ground and Geno Smith through the air will test them. In Week 1, fantasy managers should have better options to start.

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Saquon Barkley Sep 7 11:11pm ET
Saquon Barkley

Dynasty | Eagles running back Saquon Barkley rushed for 109 yards and two touchdowns while adding two catches for 23 yards and another score in his Philadelphia debut. Dynasty Analysis: The Eagles offense struggled in its first two series but came to life after with Barkley leading the way. It couldn't have gone much better for Saquon as he had 24 of the 25 running back carries with Kenneth Gainwell garnering just one tote. While we have a long way to go before declaring Barkley as being totally back, this was a pretty awe-inspiring debut for his new team.