Just days after the 2025 season opener, general manager Howie Roseman made a trade that some Philadelphia Eagles fans labeled one of the worst of his career.
With backup running back Will Shipley managing an oblique injury, Roseman acted quickly. He tapped into Jacksonville’s surplus of running backs, sending the Jaguars two draft picks (2026 fifth- and sixth-rounders) for 24-year-old RB Tank Bigsby. Eagles fans were immediately intrigued by the young back who rushed for 766 yards and seven touchdowns for the Jaguars in 2024.
It didn’t take long for those same fans to go from intrigued to irritated.
Bigsby’s primary role was to replace Shipley as the Eagles’ top kick returner, but the third-year pro never looked comfortable back there. He wound up getting benched in Week 6 after muffing a kickoff against the New York Giants, and hasn’t played a single snap on special teams since.
The Eagles, however, gave Bigsby his first snaps on offense in Week 7 against the Minnesota Vikings, and his efficiency since has produced an outlier that head coach Nick Sirianni can no longer ignore.
It’s time for the Philadelphia Eagles to give RB Tank Bigsby more opportunities
Bigsby turned some heads with his Week 8 breakout, totalling 104 yards on just nine carries in a blowout win over the Giants. He validated that performance in Sunday night’s tough, 16-9 victory over the Detroit Lions, spelling starter Saquon Barkley for 34 rushing yards on four carries; he’s now averaging 9.2 yards per carry over the last four games.
Per Eagles analyst Anthony DiBonna of The Philly Special, Bigsby “appeared to show significantly more burst” than Barkley in the Lions game.
“While Bigsby has leaped ahead of Will Shipley on the running back depth chart, he still isn’t getting enough touches. Bigsby has averaged 7.6 yards per carry with the Eagles this season and deserves more touches moving forward.”
The Eagles continue to feed Barkley with carries on a weekly basis, but unlike 2024, he isn’t carrying them very far. He’s already handled 175 rushing attempts this season, but he’s only gaining 3.8 yards per carry, his lowest output since 2022.
Maybe Barkley's banged up, or simply feeling the effects of last year’s 482 total touches (including the postseason). Perhaps it’s purely execution.
No matter the problem, Bigsby represents a potential solution.
He's fresh, with less than 200 touches dating back to 2024. He’s also passed Shipley on the running back depth chart, per DiBona, and has been averaging about eight offensive snaps per game.
In the Lions game, Bigsby spelled Barkley for back-to-back carries late in the first half. He gained 17 yards on second-and-13 on his first attempt, and then another seven on the next play. The Eagles ended up scoring a touchdown on that drive, but Bigsby didn’t get another touch until early in the fourth quarter.
Eagles RB Tank Bigsby had four carries for 34 rushing yards against the Lions in Week 11.
— Anthony DiBona (@DiBonaNFL) November 18, 2025
Bigsby gained at least 5 rushing yards on all four of his carries.
Maybe I’m crazy but Bigsby should get at least 8-10 carries per game moving forward. pic.twitter.com/4tc1BDXdVO
Sirianni’s clearly trying to get Barkley going, and that should remain a point of emphasis for the team going forward. Bigsby’s fresh legs could at least help the cause, though, as the Eagles look to improve their 17th-ranked rushing attack over the second half of the season.
Read more: Nick Sirianni could unlock Eagles offense with one strategic point of emphasis
The Eagles' offense has a whole is in desperate need of a spark entering Week 12, and right now, Bigsby's light is shining the brightest.