Saquon Barkley is back at practice for the Eagles, though in a limited role. Pro Football Talk's Josh Alper reported that he has missed the last two games. Bleeding Green Nation, citing NFL insider Mike Garafolo, said Barkley "is in line to play" in Week 7 against the Cowboys on Monday Night Football. Deadspin reported he was expected to return to practice Thursday and to play Monday.

The outlets disagree on the injury. PFT and a Yahoo Sports item describe an ankle injury. A separate Yahoo Sports piece by Sean Leahy lists it as a hamstring injury. That piece says Saquon Barkley was hurt in the first quarter against the Rams in Week 4. Only Yahoo's Leahy gives the timing of the injury, and the sources don't settle which body part is involved.

Our game logs back up that timeline in part. Barkley's last appearance was the Oct. 4 loss to the Rams, where he had two carries for 8 yards, a catch for 2 yards and a fumble that he did not lose. That is consistent with an early exit. The log shows 2026 game entries going back to Week 1. Over those four games he has 36 carries for 182 yards, 5.1 yards per carry, with no touchdowns and one fumble. Two of those games were his heavy ones: 83 yards on 15 carries against Washington and 82 yards on 15 carries at Chicago. He ran for 1,140 yards on 280 carries last season, and 2,005 yards in 2024.

The Eagles have not won since he left. They are 2-4 and third in the NFC East, on a four-game losing streak. They lost 24-20 to the Rams on the day he was hurt, then 19-17 at Jacksonville and 25-14 against Carolina. In the two games he missed, they scored 17 and 14 points.

The Cowboys are also 2-4 and sit second in the division, a place ahead of Philadelphia. They have lost two straight, 24-16 to Tampa Bay and 23-13 at Green Bay. Whoever wins Monday on Oct. 26 gets some separation in a crowded, struggling division.

No outlet has reported a final designation for Barkley. Limited practice participation leaves the decision open, and the Garafolo report, relayed by Bleeding Green Nation, is the strongest sign so far that he will play. The next practice reports before Monday night should show whether he moves toward full participation.