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Factoid

Another Saquon Barkley item

Back goes to high-volume, poor-performance spot for pass-catchers

When looking at Saquon Barkley, you have to be extra-intrigued by the offense he's going to. That's because in New York he'll be joining a team that loved to throw to its running backs a year ago, while simultaneously being the league's worst team at getting quality performance out of those receiving backs.

New York has a new coaching staff, of course, but it's the same veteran quarterback who'd prefer getting the ball out of his hands and into the hands of a running back rather than absorbing a sack. Last year only five teams completed more passes to running backs than the Giants.

PASS COMPLETIONS TO RUNNING BACKS, 2017
TeamNoYdsTD
New Orleans14312546
New England1209199
San Francisco1138452
Baltimore1136904
Cleveland1099233
NY Giants1056081
Chicago987313
Jacksonville967853
Buffalo966652
Carolina947527
LA Chargers938167
Kansas City906835
Pittsburgh896703
Denver876992
Oakland876372
Washington868856
NY Jets867092
Arizona847370
Minnesota846822
Detroit826343
Cincinnati817502
Seattle797493
LA Rams748426
Miami704912
Tampa Bay695211
Atlanta686504
Green Bay684993
Houston676053
Indianapolis625422
Dallas575423
Philadelphia534964
Tennessee504022

On the other hand, no team in the league did less with those receptions than the Giants. New York averaged a league-worst 5.8 yards per reception by running backs, and its longest catch went for a league-low 20 yards. New York had only 1 TD catch by a running back, fewer than everyone but the Cardinals and Bucs.

YARDS PER RECEPTION BY RUNNING BACKS, 2017
TeamNoYdsAvgLg
LA Rams7484211.480t
Washington8688510.336t
Atlanta686509.639
Dallas575429.581t
Seattle797499.566
Philadelphia534969.432
Cincinnati817509.367
Houston676059.034
LA Chargers938168.849
Arizona847378.825
New Orleans14312548.854
Indianapolis625428.734
Cleveland1099238.541t
NY Jets867098.238
Jacksonville967858.229
Minnesota846828.141
Tennessee504028.066t
Denver876998.029t
Carolina947528.037
Detroit826347.763
New England1209197.727
Kansas City906837.678t
Tampa Bay695217.634
Pittsburgh896707.542
San Francisco1138457.544
Chicago987317.570
Green Bay684997.354t
Oakland876377.339
Miami704917.047
Buffalo966656.939
Baltimore1136906.137
NY Giants1056085.820

The more you look at it, the more certain it appears that Barkley will be busy in New York's backfield, and that the team really needed him.

--Andy Richardson

Fantasy Index