Will Shipley

Tank Bigsby is firmly established as Barkley's primary backup following his 2025 mid-season acquisition from Jacksonville, and there is no indication the Eagles view Shipley as capable of supplanting him in the near term.

Saquon Barkley recently signed a two-year contract extension worth $41.2 million in new money, cementing his role through 2026. Shipley has slipped to third on the depth chart and doesn't appear to be viewed as anything other than a depth option by the Eagles, as the team acquired Tank Bigsby from the Jaguars after Week 2 to serve as Saquon Barkley's primary backup.

Shipley has fallen to third on the depth chart behind both Saquon Barkley and Tank Bigsby, who the Eagles acquired via trade in September 2025 specifically to serve as the primary backup. His touches actually decreased from 34 to 23 between his rookie and sophomore seasons despite playing more snaps.

After two seasons in the system, Shipley has failed to carve out a defined role. He caught only five passes for 38 yards on third down all year and finished with fewer scrimmage yards in Year 2 than his rookie campaign, indicating the coaching staff doesn't view him as part of the offensive game plan.

Saquon Barkley is locked in through 2028 on a massive contract, and Tank Bigsby is under contract through 2026 with proven production. The Eagles are committed to this duo long-term, leaving Shipley with minimal path to meaningful volume barring multiple injuries.

Barkley's dominance caps the entire backfield ecosystem; even the RB2 role on this offense generates limited fantasy-relevant volume, making Shipley's ceiling as RB3 largely irrelevant without a multi-player injury scenario.

Shipley's youth and mid-tier trade value (1712) make him a potential buy-low candidate if Philadelphia considers moving him or if an injury opens volume. Some rebuilding teams might view him as a low-cost lottery ticket.

With Gainwell now in Pittsburgh, Shipley has an opportunity to lock down one of the league's best insurance jobs. The departure of Kenneth Gainwell opens a potential passing-game role.

Should Barkley miss time, the 23-year-old would likely see enough work behind an elite line in a high-scoring offense to allow RB2/flex production. Elite offensive line and offense provide upside if volume opens.

With his mid-tier trade value and roster spot potentially redundant behind Barkley and Bigsby, the Eagles could trade Shipley to a team needing RB depth, which might provide a fresh opportunity for an expanded role elsewhere.

AJ Dillon's expected departure leaves the Eagles with a clean top-3 RB hierarchy of Barkley/Bigsby/Shipley; Shipley's roster spot and practice reps are secure through his contract year in 2027.

A trade or waiver claim to an RB-needy team could unlock standalone snaps; his pass-catching profile and draft pedigree retain mild speculative appeal for a cheap dart throw.