Tank Bigsby was a breath of fresh air for the Philadelphia Eagles last season.Acquired just after the first week of the regular season, the Eagles landed Bigsby in a deal for a 2026 fifth-round pick and a 2026 sixth-round pick. Bigsby was expected to add depth to the running back room and become the primary kick returner.He did one of the two. Bigsby had 58 carries for 344 yards and two touchdowns in 16 games with the Eagles, averaging 5.9 yards per carry. He only had nine kick returns on the season for 187 yards, averaging 20.3 yards per return. His value emerged as an excellent change-of-pace back for Barkley, as Bigsby's ability to hit the hole sparked the Eagles offense when it struggled last season. Bigsby didn't emerge as a factor in the Eagles offense until Week 8 against the New York Ginats, rushing nine times for 104 yards (11.6 yards per carry). The carries were scarce because the Eagles have Barkley (and are paying him $20.5 million a year), but Bigsby made the most of his opportunity at the end of the season -- having 39 carries for 176 yards and two touchdowns in the final four games (4.5 yards per carry). Bigsby will have a key role for the Eagles in 2026, even if his carries will be limited once again. Why Bigsby is so importantThe Eagles need a No. 2 running back behind Barkley, just someone to spell him for a few plays. Barkley is 29 years old and entering his ninth year in the league. While Barkley is in his prime, he's no spring chicken either. Since Barkley is the highest-paid running back in NFL history, the Eagles have to give him all the touches they can. That comes at the expense of Bigsby and Will Shipley, who have been limited because Barkley is the clear RB1.If Barkley gets hurt, this is where Bigsby comes in. Fortunately for the Eagles, the only games Barkley has missed are due to the coaches deciding to sit out Barkley in Week 18 when the team had little or nothing to play for in terms of playoff seeding. The Eagles are banking on Barkley staying healthy through the majority of the season. If Barkley does have to miss a week, Bigsby will be ready. Bigsby won't have the same impact as Barkley in the running game, but he can fill the void. This is likely Bigsby's last season with the Eagles Bigsby is in the final season of his rookie contract and is making $1,485,399 this season. Just 24 years old, Bigsby has shown to two teams that he's a productive player when called upon and will likely want an opportunity for more carries elsewhere.Could Bigsby get that in Philadelphia? Not with Barkley under contract -- unless the Eagles decide this is Barkley's last season due to his contract. Perhaps Bigsby gets an opportunity to be the RB1 in Philadelphia, but how does he fit in this offense? Bigsby thrived in Kevin Patullo's system, but that also was based on an inside zone running attack. Sean Mannion will have some outside zone, which doesn't fit into Bigsby's game as much.Bigsby still showed a strong burst this spring and looks like he'll thrive in this system regardless. No matter how many carries Bigsby gets, this year will be a big one for his NFL future.What happens if Bigsby gets hurt? The Eagles have a battle for RB3 behind Bigsby, but Will Shipley is the front runner for that role over Dameon Pierce and Elijah Mitchell. Shipley should get some opportunities catching passes in this offense, which he has an advantage over Bigsby.Shipley could take some snaps away from Bigsby there, as he also is the primary kick returner for the Eagles. He should have a role in this offense, which could come at Bigsby's expense. Bigsby is the RB2, and took that job from Shipley in the middle of last season. Why we ranked Bigsby hereBigsby made the top-25 list based on a final vote tally from three Eagles on SI voters. Publisher/Editor Jeff Kerr, insider John McMullen, and writer Ed Kracz. He made the cut for 25th over Dontayvion Wicks, Jonathan Jones, and Byron Young.The RB2 on the Eagles doesn't have much significance with Barkley around, but Bigsby plays a key role on this offense when he needs to spell Barkley. Carrie smay be limited, but Bigsby has a crucial role on this team. "He runs hard. He's got extremely good ability to make you miss, while also being able to put his shoulder down and finish off runs through contact," Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni said in January. "Those are some of the things that we value about him. The way he walks through, the way he practices, it really does show up in the game with how hard he runs and how hard he plays."Bigsby's hard work pays off when he gets the opportunity. The Eagles are hoping those opportunities are limited -- because Barkley is healthy and playing all 17 games this season. Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow