Saquon Barkley entered the 2018 NFL Draft looking like the best player in all of college football. He was drafted to the New York Giants with the second overall pick and looked to make an immediate impact. He did just that.
In his first NFL game, Barkley ran for over 100 yards and reached the endzone for the first time in his career. He didn’t let up, later that season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Barkley rushed 27 times for 142 yards and two touchdowns as well as a receiving touchdown.
As his rookie season came to an end, he carried the ball 261 times for 1307 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also added 91 receptions for 721 yards and 4 touchdowns. Barkley won the 2018 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in a landslide and already solidified himself as one of the best running backs in the league.
Just three games into the 2019 season, Barkley suffered a high ankle sprain against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This caused Barkley to miss three games, but he picked up right where he left off and was able to finish his second season with over 1000 yards rushing with eight total touchdowns.
Barkley got off to a slow start in the 2020 season, rushing 15 times for six yards and reeling in six catches for 60 yards against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Saquon was looking for a bounce-back game against Chicago in week two, but after only four touches he suffered a torn ACL and strained MCL, ending his season.
In 2021, when Barkley returned, his workload was down significantly and he carried the ball 100 fewer times than he did during his rookie season. He rushed for 593 yards and 4 touchdowns after missing three games due to an ankle injury.
After suffering multiple injuries in the past two seasons, it seemed that Barkley was finally healthy heading into the 2022 season. He showed just that as he looked like his rookie self again, rushing 295 times for 1,312 yards and 10 touchdowns as well as 57 receptions for 338 yards. Saquon and the Giants made some noise in the playoffs upsetting the third-seed Minnesota Vikings 31-24 in the Wild Card Round before being bounced by the Eagles in the Divisional Round. Barkley finished third in Comeback Player of the Year voting.
Jahan Dotson was one of the best receivers available in the 2022 NFL Draft and was selected 16th overall by the Washington Commanders. Dotson showed why he was a first-round pick as soon as he stepped on the field.
In his first game, he hauled in three catches for 40 yards and two crucial touchdowns that elevated the Commanders to a 28-22 win. It didn’t stop there, Dotson continued to put up big games including a four-catch, 105-yard, one-touchdown performance against the New York Giants in Week 15.
Jahan dealt with a hamstring injury throughout the season which caused him to miss five games and be limited in others. You could argue that if he stayed healthy throughout the season that he would’ve put up a good fight for OROY, but regardless he showed massive potential and will play a huge part for this Commanders team in the coming years.
From playing against each other in high school, to playing at the same college, and now to playing in the same NFL division, Saquon Barkley and Jahan Dotson have had crazy similar journeys. On top of this, we got the opportunity to watch them square off twice this season.
In their first matchup in Week 13, the teams ended in a 20-20 tie after an exciting battle between two playoff contenders. Barkley finished with 18 carries for 63 yards and a touchdown while Dotson finished with five catches for 54 yards and a touchdown.
The stakes only grew as the Giants and the Commanders were set to square off again just two weeks later in Week 15. This time, the winner would most likely be headed to the playoffs. It was a close game throughout, but in the end, the Giants were able to get the job done and walk away with the win. Saquon Barkley rushed 18 times for 87 yards and a touchdown, and Dotson reeled in 4 catches for 105 yards and a touchdown of his own.
Both teams had exceeded expectations for this season and will only improve with young stars like Jahan Dotson and Saquon Barkley leading the way.
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