Saquon Barkley is recovering from his high ankle sprain faster than most expected. Just not quite fast enough.
The New York Giants' star running back is unlikely to play in Thursday night's game against the New England Patriots, ESPN's Jordan Ranaan reported Tuesday morning.
Barkley suffered a "significant" high ankle sprain in Week 3 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and initially was expected to miss at least four weeks.
But the 22-year-old said last Friday there's a chance he'd be ready for New York's Week 6 game in New England, less than 20 days after his injury.
It appears Barkley won't be able to get medical clearance before Thursday, though. That's a big break for the Patriots, as the second-year Pro Bowler had already amassed 311 total yards from scrimmage through his first two-plus games and is one of the most dangerous offensive weapons in the NFL.
Instead, the Giants will have to lean on backup running back Wayne Gallman, who managed just 13 rushing yards on five carries in Week 5, and a receiving corps missing top wideout Sterling Shepard (concussion).
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That sounds like a feast for a Patriots defense enjoying a historic start to the 2019 season.
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