Breida is expected to start Thursday's game in San Francisco with top running back Saquon Barkley (ankle) ruled out for the Week 3 matchup, Dan Salomone of the Giants' official site reports.

EDGE Analysis

Barkley has had a near-monopoly on touches out of the backfield through two weeks, but he sprained his ankle late in Sunday's win over the Cardinals. Prior reports had suggested that Barkley's injury was expected to sideline him for around three weeks, but he may be making more progress than expected up to this point in his recovery. At least for Week 3, Barkley will remain out, leaving Breida as the next man up to lead a Giants backfield that also includes 2021 sixth-round draft pick Gary Brightwell and 2023 fifth-round draft pick Eric Gray. Breida has a career average of 4.8 yards per carry, but much of that production came while he ran behind strong offensive lines with San Francisco from 2017 through 2019 and with Miami in 2020. On Thursday, he'll be rushing behind a Giants line that will be without both of its regular starters on the left side in tackle Andrew Thomas (hamstring) and guard Ben Bredeson (concussion).