Despite Barkley's impressive performance against the Jets on Sunday, head coach Sean McDermott said Monday that quarterback Josh Allen (elbow) will return to the starting lineup when healthy.
Few predicted the kind of success Barkley would find against the Jets in a game that marked the quarterback's first live action since he was with the Bears in 2016. However, Buffalo's top priority is developing its prized rookie, and it's now clear Barkley's one-game renaissance won't deter the team from its long-term plan. While Barkley likely has done enough to establish himself as the clear No. 2 option over Nathan Peterman and Derek Anderson (concussion), he'll only have fantasy value going forward if Allen is forced to miss any more games. With Buffalo on bye Week 11, Allen has roughly two more weeks to bounce back from his elbow injury. McDermott indicated Monday that Allen has already resumed a throwing regimen and is making daily progress in his recovery.