Saquon Barkley
Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

New York Giants star running back Saquon Barkley is reportedly out of the walking boot that was needed for his high ankle sprain.

Good news for New York Giants fans, as their injured star running back seems to be ahead of schedule, hopefully.

On Sunday, after Big Blue’s big win over the Washington Redskins, Saquon Barkley was reported to be out of the walking boot. Barkley suffered a high ankle sprain in the midst of their Week 3 win in Tampa Bay.

He was initially supposed to be out 4-8 weeks. However, it now seems like Barkley could be back even earlier than expected.

It would be great to get Saquon back on the field prior to what the 4-8 week timetable suggests. But the Giants need to be careful in the sense that they don’t rush him back too early.

If you’re a basketball fan, you saw what happened with Kevin Durant and the Golden State Warriors, right? The last thing Barkley and the Giants need is for the same type of situation to happen to the 2018 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year.

For the moment, third-year veteran Wayne Gallman is taking over for Saquon at the starting running back spot. In the team’s Week 4 win over Washington, Gallman had 63 rushing yards on 18 carries for one touchdown. He additionally caught six balls for 55 yards and a touchdown through the air.

He’s not Barkley, nor nowhere close. But Gallman is a reliable, versatile back to have on the field for the time being. When Barkley comes back, the Giants could still definitely use Gallman in certain situations, especially in the passing game.

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Ryan Honey is a staff writer and host of the Wide Right Podcast.