This Giants Player Chosen as 2023 NFL Season MVP Candidate

Could New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley become the first non-quarterback since 2012 to win NFL MVP Award?

The competition league-wide is stacked with valuable candidates, but in picking one player most likely to receive consideration from every team, NFL.com's Eric Edholm is eyeing Barkley for the honors.

If Barkley were to win the award, it would make him the first running back (and the first non-quarterback) to snag the coveted accolade since Adrian Peterson in 2012.

Notes Edholm of his Barkley selection:

Coming off a year in which he set a career-high in rush yards (1,312), Barkley is currently in line to play on the franchise tag in 2023 -- he and the Giants have until July 17 to work out a multi-year deal. We'll soon see where those negotiations go, but I expect he’ll be highly motivated to prove his worth and stack back-to-back healthy seasons for the first time in his NFL career.

Expecting good health for a second year in a row is risky, though, and the NFC East is loaded with defensive talent. There’s also the acquisition of Darren Waller and some new players at receiver, which could change the offensive picture a bit. But Barkley is the most impactful non-QB on the team.

Barkley is, indeed, until proven otherwise, the most impactful player on the Giants roster. But as Edholm also notes, the team has added some additional firepower to where, unlike in years past when the Giants offense was Barkley, the running back may no longer have to carry the weight of the team on his shoulders.

What's interesting is how last year, given that the Giants were in a brand new offense and had question marks at receiver, the team didn't deploy Barkley as heavily in the passing game as he was deployed as a rookie.

He was targeted 76 times during the regular season, catching 57 balls for 338 yards, an average of 5.93 yards per catch, but only 4.45 yards per pass target.

As a rookie in 2018 under a different coaching staff, Barkley played a much bigger role in the passing offense, catching 91 balls out of 121 targets for 721 yards, a 7.92 yards per reception average, and a 5.96 yards per pass target average.

Assuming Barkley stays healthy for a second straight season, there's no reason why he won't come in and contribute a large chunk of the offense's yardage. But in a league that more heavily emphasizes the passing game, Barkley probably has steep odds to win the trophy, deserving or otherwise.

The Giants and Barkley have until July 17 to work out a new long-term deal to avoid the running back having to play on the franchise tag this year.

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