Those aren't projections, those are his numbers from his post-ACL tear season (last year), and Cook's numbers from his post ACL tear season.
Yes, I get that. I see those numbers as a potential outcome of this season for Barkley. So I’m wondering if owners would be happy with that return as his floor at his ADP.
Two years after his ACL tear, Cook was a top 3 RB. This year will be Barkley's two years after ACL season.
We'll see if it breaks the same way, but like happened with Cook I think we've gotten somewhat accustomed to the handful of guys that bounce back the year after an ACL and look like the injury never happened, when there are still some guys that play by the old rules of it taking 2 years to really get back to themselves. I think it's obvious to us that Barkley was not himself last year, and was still struggling with the knee. We'll see if he bounces back with more trust in the knee. He's running out of excuses, that's for sure, but it's still not unusual historically if the ACL ends up being a 2 year blip for him like it has been for several other guys in the past, Cook included.
It’s possible. But looking at the Vikings team Cook came back to and the current Giants team, which player is/was set up for success?
IIRC, that Vikes team had a better OL, a better QB, better receiving weapons, a proven ability to run the ball (Mattisson was pretty good in relief when Cook was out) and a better defense to keep games close.
Barkley is coming back to a vastly different situation. Danny Dimes is on his last chance to prove he can play QB at the NFL level, with a team that did not commit to him beyond this year. The Giants are in a tough cap situation, and while I love what ownership has done with front office and coaching, Rome wasn’t built in a day.
Again, I concede it is absolutely possible for Barkley to look great year 2 after his ACL. it does happen. But I’m also looking at the big picture, and the team around him, and his ADP seems a bit high for my tastes.
And I’m getting Déjà vu seeing all the positive reports and glowing hype about how good he looks, and how many passes he might catch this year. The same stuff was being said last year & drove his ADP into the mid-2nd. It’s happening again. 25th overall PPR (current ADP) seems high.
i agree if he comes back and looks like his rookie season, and the Giants OL is better than I expect, and if Daniel Jones isn’t a turnover machine, and if the receivers stay healthy/perform, then he’s going to be a potential league winner.
Seems like a lot of things have to break right for that ADP to pay off.