Saquon Barkley injury: Who will take NY Giants star's spot vs. 49ers and moving forward?

TEMPE, Ariz. - The New York Giants contemplated what their football life would be like this summer without Saquon Barkley as he mulled over whether he would skip training camp due to his contract impasse.

That absence never came to be, of course, when Barkley agreed to a deal at the 11th hour and he was present for just about everything the Giants did in training camp and the preseason.

It's unfortunate, but the Giants are going to have to prepare for that unwanted scenario now, at least for Thursday night against the San Francisco 49ers in Santa Clara, Calif., and for a bit longer than that.

Barkley's ankle injury sustained in the waning moments of Sunday's 31-28 comeback victory over the Arizona Cardinals will sideline him week-to-week after an MRI and further testing Monday to determine the severity revealed a low sprain, an individual with knowledge of the situation told NorthJersey.com. There were no other surprises from the imaging, which should be considered good news for Barkley and the Giants.

The reality: on a short week with another game in four days, the Giants have to plan for contingencies in the immediate future, as Barkley will not be ready to suit up against the 49ers. Their next two games will be in a 20-day window as of Monday: Oct. 2 on "Monday Night Football" at home against Seattle and Oct. 8 in Miami against the Dolphins.

So where would Big Blue turn at running back, and how can Barkley's role be divvied up? It's not going to be easy.

"I think all the running backs that we have on the roster, that’s why they are on the roster, because we are confident in them," Giants coach Brian Daboll said Monday, adding: "I’d say all three of the guys work really hard and prepare as if they are going to play an entire game."

Here are the likeliest options:

Matt Breida

Breida might be the obvious choice, based on experience. He played two snaps against the Cardinals when Barkley went out in the waning moments Sunday and was the incumbent backup, having served in that role last year. The 28-year-old veteran has more than 2,800 rushing yards in his career, but the Giants may not want to attack the vaunted 49ers' defensive front traditionally. Make no mistake: Breida is the best back in pass protection on the roster.

"I’ve been with Matt for quite some time," Daboll said. "He knows our system; he’s prepared every week as if he was the starter and that’s what they all need to do."

Eric Gray

The rookie impressed as a punt returner against the Cardinals, picking up 14 yards on a scamper in the fourth quarter that helped set up the offense with good field position on a touchdown-scoring drive. Gray has not gotten much work in the backfield since the summer, but that could change if the Giants seek a change of pace. He's shifty in the open field and could be a weapon in the passing game as a receiver. The only liability could be in pass pro as a professional, which could limit the amount of touches he gets.

Gary Brightwell

Brightwell might be a sleeper in this scenario. He's a core special teamer, but was knocked out of the offensive mix in the summer as he recovered from an injury. The 24-year-old has run hard when given the chance, and if the Giants are looking to bang heads with the 49ers, Brightwell is their best option of these three to do that.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Saquon Barkley injury: NY Giants' Matt Breida and Eric Gray may play now