DeVonta Smith and Saquon Barkley ‘have a shot’ to return for the Eagles against the Panthers in Week 6

Three straight Eagles losses have this whole city in a bad place, so here’s something to hang onto. DeVonta Smith and Saquon Barkley could both be back on the field Sunday when they take on the Carolina Panthers in Week 6.

Smith has missed the last two games with a hamstring injury. Last week, he was out stretching with the team during warmups before he was ruled out of practice, so he’s clearly been close.

Barkley is the bigger question mark. He wasn’t spotted at practice at all last week, which makes me think Smith is further along. Either way, getting one of them back would be huge. Getting both back would be a lifeline for what’s arguably the worst offense in the NFL right now.

Eagles hopeful Saquon Barkley and DeVonta Smith return this week.

Sirianni: Eagles hopeful Saquon Barkley (hamstring), DeVonta Smith (hamstring) return this week.

— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) October 12, 2026

The Eagles Need Saquon Badly:

Barkley’s return matters most because the running back room is a disaster. Tank Bigsby is on injured reserve, and Will Shipley suffered a foot injury in London that could keep him out multiple games.

If Barkley can’t go, the Eagles’ backfield is Dameon Pierce, Carson Steele and Jaydon Blue. After watching Pierce turn 13 touches into 12 yards against the Jaguars, I don’t need to tell you how that’s likely to go.

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With Barkley back, defenses have to respect the run again. That takes pressure off a brand new offensive line, opens things up for Jalen Hurts and gives this offense something it hasn’t had in weeks, which is a reason to believe it can actually move the ball in the second half.

Smith Changes the Passing Game:

Smith has the second-highest target share in the league when he’s healthy, and the passing game runs through him. Without him, Hurts has been working with Darius Cooper, Makai Lemon and Dontayvion Wicks.

Cooper and Lemon have been coming on, but putting Smith back on the field pushes everyone into the right role and gives Hurts the guy he trusts most.

Don’t Rush It, and Don’t Expect Miracles:

At the same time, the Eagles can’t afford to rush either guy back before they’re truly ready. Soft-tissue injuries have a way of coming right back if you push them too fast, and losing Smith or Barkley again for another month would be a lot worse than missing one more game.

The offense wasn’t exactly lighting it up before these two got hurt. Their returns alone won’t fix the second-half problems, the play calling or the run blocking. What they will do is give this team its best players back, and that’s the first step toward getting this season pointed in the right direction.

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The Eagles hold their first practice of the week on Wednesday. Keep an eye on the injury reports Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, because they’ll tell us everything we need to know about Sunday.

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