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NFL

Barkley, on cusp of record, to sit out vs. Giants

  • Tim McManus, ESPN Staff WriterJan 1, 2025, 12:51 PM ET

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      Tim McManus covers the Philadelphia Eagles for ESPN. He joined ESPN in 2016 after covering the Eagles for Philadelphia Magazine’s Birds 24/7, a site he helped create, since 2010. You can follow him on Twitter @Tim_McManus.

PHILADELPHIA — Eagles running back Saquon Barkley likely will sit out Sunday’s regular-season finale against the New York Giants, coach Nick Sirianni said, putting an end to his chase of the single-season rushing record.

With Philadelphia’s postseason seeding secured, Sirianni suggested Barkley will be one of the starters who will rest as the Eagles gear up for the playoffs.

“He will probably be somebody that rests,” Sirianni said.

If so, Barkley will end the regular season 101 yards shy of breaking Eric Dickerson’s NFL record of 2,105 yards, set in 1984.

“Obviously it’s a very special record that’s been standing for a very long time by a great player. It’s a team record that everybody’s involved in. You weigh all those things. But at the end of the day, you just try to do what’s best for the team.”

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Sirianni said he spoke with Barkley. He did not reveal the content of those discussions but noted this team has “selfless guys that want to do what’s best for the football team.”

Sirianni also revealed that quarterback Jalen Hurts remains in concussion protocol. He sustained the injury Week 16 against the Washington Commanders and did not play Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys.

Opinions were split in the Philadelphia locker room following the Week 17 win over the Dallas Cowboys. Right tackle Lane Johnson was leaning toward resting the starters, under the premise of it’s “better to be safe than sorry.”

Left tackle Jordan Mailata, meanwhile, said he planned to “push for” the starters to play against New York.

“It’s an opportunity to make history,” Mailata said. “We never really spoke about the Giants next week, but we just had the feeling that if we don’t go for it today, we might sit out. We don’t know. Coach hasn’t really said anything yet. We’ll see.”

Barkley said he would be fine with whatever Sirianni decides.

“Whatever his decision is, I’m all for it,” Barkley said. “If his mindset is, we’ll go out there and try it, I’ll go out there and try it. If his mindset is, let’s rest and get ready for this run, I’m all for that, too. … I came here to do something special. Breaking a record is special, but I want a banner up there. I think we all do.”

With his 167-yard performance against Dallas, Barkley became just the ninth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000-plus yards.

NFL

NFL faves on verge of history amid bettors' boon

  • David Purdum, ESPN Staff WriterDec 31, 2024, 08:43 AM ET

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    • Joined ESPN in 2014
    • Journalist covering gambling industry since 2008

NFL chalk is on the verge of history this week.

NFL betting favorites — known as the chalk — have won 183 games outright this season, five shy of the all-time mark set in 2005, with Week 18 pending. The favored team has won 71.8% of games entering the final week, the highest winning percentage for chalk since 2005 and second-best since the NFL adopted a 16-game schedule in 1978, according to ESPN Research.

Sportsbooks got off to a hot start to the season, with underdogs springing 26 upsets in September, the second-most ever for the opening month. Nevada sportsbooks won a net $80.9 million in September, the most lucrative month in the state’s 75-year betting history.

But the upsets dwindled during the final three months of the season, and favorites have been cooking in December. Favorites won as many as 15 of 16 games in Week 17 (the point spread varied on the Green Bay Packers-Minnesota Vikings and Tennessee Titans Jacksonville Jaguars games). Overall in December, favorites are 56-17 straight-up, a 76.7% win rate, the second-highest for the month in the last 50 seasons.

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The run of favorites has been a boon for the betting public, which typically backs the perceived superior team, especially in parlays. Chris Andrews, a veteran Las Vegas sportsbook director with the South Point, estimated his shop needs the underdog in 75% of NFL games.

“Maybe more this year,” Andrews told ESPN in a text message.

Favorites have covered the spread in 53.9% of games this season, the best rate since 2017 and seventh-best in the Super Bowl era.

“Some of our seasoned traders have said this is the worst NFL season since 2017,” Joe Brennen, head of Prime Sportsbook, told ESPN.

Caesars Sportsbook vice president of trading Craig Mucklow said, with so many favorites winning, bettors were in position for a big weekend.

“The biggest decisions all went the way of the customers in the

Week 18 features an unusual underdog in the two-time defending-champion Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs began the week as 10-point road underdog to the Denver Broncos, who are playing for their playoff lives. Kansas City has clinched the No. 1 seed in the AFC.

“Maybe an underdog can win a football game?” John Murray, vice president for the Westgate SuperBook, said. “That would be cool.”

NFL

Record-setting TE Fannin declares for NFL draft

  • Andrea Adelson, ESPN Senior WriterDec 30, 2024, 02:58 PM ET

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    • ACC reporter.
    • Joined ESPN.com in 2010.
    • Graduate of the University of Florida.

Bowling Green tight end Harold Fannin Jr. declared for the NFL draft on Monday.

In a statement posted on Instagram, Fannin thanked the Bowling Green staff, university and community — in addition to his high school coaches — for helping him go from zero-star recruit to future NFL draft pick.

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has Fannin ranked No. 2 overall among fullbacks/H-backs for the 2025 draft.

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Fannin shattered FBS and school single-season school records this season for receiving yards by a tight end (1,555), receiving yards per game by a tight end (119.6) and receptions by a tight end (117).

Those numbers were also good enough to lead the nation by any player at any position. In addition, he was named MAC Offensive Player of the Year and a finalist for the Mackey Award, given to the best tight end in the nation.

In the 68 Ventures Bowl game against Arkansas State, Fannin had 17 receptions for 213 yards — both bowl records for a tight end.

NFL

Rookie WR Malik Nabers reaches 1K for the season with a 31-yard TD reception

  • Jordan Raanan, ESPN Staff WriterDec 29, 2024, 01:43 PM ET

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      Jordan Raanan is a reporter for NFL Nation at ESPN. Raanan covers the New York Giants. You can follow him via Twitter @JordanRaanan.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — A couple of New York Giants rookie playmakers reached milestones on a first-quarter drive against the Indianapolis Colts that concluded with a 31-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown by one of them, wide receiver Malik Nabers.

Nabers took a screen pass on third-and-14 from quarterback Drew Lock and slipped through tackles from Colts cornerback Nick Cross and safety Julian Blackmon on the right side. He then raced for the score to give the Giants a 7-3 lead.

Nabers came into Sunday’s contest with 97 receptions for 969 yards. His first target of the game put him at exactly 1,000 yards for the season. It was his fifth receiving touchdown in 14 games.

The Giants were in scoring range because of a 40-yard rush from fellow rookie Tyrone Tracy Jr. earlier in the drive. That rush put Tracy over 1,000 yards from scrimmage this season.

Nabers and Tracy are just the third rookie duo to reach 1,000 scrimmage yards each in a season. The last to do it was running back Reggie Bush and wide receiver Marques Colston of the 2006 New Orleans Saints.

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