No. 26 is set to make his return.
Philadelphia Eagles star running back Saquon Barkley is anticipated to return to practice on Thursday and is on track to play in the team’s upcoming Monday night home game against the Dallas Cowboys, according to reports from NFL Media on Thursday morning.
The star running back has missed Philadelphia’s last two contests due to a hamstring injury sustained during the team’s Week 4 defeat against the Los Angeles Rams.
Eagles’ Banged Up RB Room
In addition to Barkley, the Eagles have been navigating a depleted backfield, with running back Tank Bigbsy sidelined on injured reserve since October 6 following core muscle surgery, and Will Shipley also out since October 16 due to a foot injury.
During Barkley’s absence, Dameon Pierce stepped in, rushing for 49 yards and one touchdown at an average of 2.1 yards per carry across the team’s last two games. Philadelphia also maintains running back Elijah Mitchell on its practice squad for additional depth.
Before his injury, the 2024 NFL Offensive Player of the Year had amassed 182 rushing yards on 5.1 yards per carry, though he had yet to find the end zone.
Saquon Barkley hasn’t played since Week 4 due to a hamstring injury. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
Overall, the Eagles’ offense has struggled significantly in Barkley’s absence, ranking 29th in the NFL in rushing yards (82.2 per game), 24th in total yards (311.2 per game), 23rd in passing yards (194.3 per game), and 19th in scoring (22.3 points per game).
Barkley is coming off a relatively underwhelming 2025 campaign by his high standards, where the three-time Pro Bowler rushed for 1,140 yards and seven touchdowns on 4.1 yards per carry. This follows his historic 2024 season, in which he became just the ninth player in NFL history to rush for over 2,000 yards, tallying 2,005 yards and 13 rushing touchdowns on 5.8 yards per carry, leading Philadelphia to a Super Bowl LIX victory.
Jalen Hurts’ Health
Barkley’s timely return comes as the Eagles deal with a major blow to their quarterback situation, placing Jalen Hurts on injured reserve and effectively ending his season due to blood clots discovered in both his calf and lungs.
Tanner McKee, who got the start in the team’s Week 6 loss to the Carolina Panthers, is now expected to remain under center as the starting quarterback for the Eagles moving forward.
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