After arriving in Philadelphia via the trade with Jacksonville early last season, Eagles running back Tank Bigsby found himself relegated to the sidelines, patiently waiting to make his presence felt. When Week 8 rolled around, Bigsby announced his arrival emphatically, showcasing a skill set that should spell an even bigger role in his second season in midnight green.
Amid a debut campaign with the Eagles featuring plenty of explosiveness in limited touches, Tm Blair with NFL.com circled Bigsby as his selection for the Eagles' most underappreciated player.
"This is less about lauding an undervalued performance last season and more about providing a general reminder that Bigsby exists. You probably remember him being traded to Philly last September after being displaced in the running back pecking order by Jaguars rookie. And there's a good chance you know he ripped off 104 yards on nine carries for the Eagles in a Week 8 win over the Giants. But he otherwise didn't really do much -- with even that 100-yarder overshadowed by 174 scrimmage yards from Saquon Barkley.
So maybe you missed some of the reasons to be encouraged about Bigsby, like his per-carry mark (5.9, almost 2 full yards better than Barkley's 4.1), or the fact that NGS credited him with 13 explosive runs out of his 63 carries (with both Philly and Jacksonville), which worked out to the best explosive-carry rate (20.6%) of any NFL running back with 50-plus rush attempts in 2025. Barkley turned 29 in February and has logged 288 touches or more in each of the past four seasons. If new coordinator Sean Mannion is going to turn the Eagles' offense around, Bigsby could be busy."
Tank Bigsby getting more carries should lead to 2026 success
Those chunk plays signify just how lethal Bigsby was when called upon. With his explosive Week 8 effort versus the Giants, Bigsby proved he is fully capable of doing significant damage.
Averaging nearly six yards per carry, the energy and big-play ability he brought into the fold sparked an offense that was in search of answers far too often last season. With new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion heading the unit, a more creative, multi-faceted offense could spell more touches for Bigsby. He presents a different look than Barkley, and keeping Philly's workhorse fresh is paramount.
With Barkley now 29 years old, the Birds would be wise to feed Bigsby more to help ensure their star rusher's continued excellence. 288 touches in each of his past years is a ton of wear and tear, and while Barkley is an absolute warrior who wants the rock early and often, Bigsby is the perfect complement to help ease the workload of Philadelphia's star running back.
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With the starting five up front returning to full health, both Barkley and Bigsby could thrive this coming season. Injuries and a shuffling deck in the trenches left running room limited at times last year. If the offensive line reclaims its dominant form and Bigsby gets more touches, Bigsby could transform from underappreciated to routinely praised in a hurry.
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