Isiah Pacheco vs Saquon Barkley: Who Should You Start?
There is a real production gap between these two running backs. Saquon Barkley (Philadelphia Eagles) averaged 13.4 PPG over 16 games in 2025, outscoring Isiah Pacheco (Detroit Lions, 6.0 PPG) by 7.4 points per week. That separation would need a significant matchup swing to overcome.
Saquon Barkley carries a 7.4-point PPG advantage from the 2025 season. That baseline matters, but it is one input among several. Matchup difficulty, scoring trends, and injury reports move the needle week to week, which is why the best answer changes depending on when you are asking.
Both profile as early-down workhorses. Isiah Pacheco ran for 462 yards and 1 touchdowns; Saquon Barkley posted 1140 and 7. Goal-line share, red zone touches, and which team is favored are usually the tiebreaker when neither back offers passing-game volume.
One thing to note: both players share a Week 5 bye. That means you need a backup plan at running back for that week, especially if one of these two is your starter.
