Source: Barkley's 'ordinary' sprain to sideline him 3 weeks - ESPN

An MRI showed that New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley suffered an «ordinary» ankle sprain that now is expected to sideline him three weeks, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Monday.

Barkley injured the ankle late in the fourth quarter of Sunday's dramatic 31-28 come-from-behind victory over the Arizona Cardinals. He scored two touchdowns in the second half (one rushing, one receiving) while the Giants erased a 21-point deficit.

But it was on the second-to-last play from scrimmage that Barkley got his ankle caught at the bottom of a pile. He was in immediate pain and was helped off the field by trainers. The veteran running back later limped off the field after the game.

Barkley had an X-ray done at State Farm Stadium immediately after the game. The results were negative, and there was hope that there was no fracture. But the ankle was still «a bit» swollen and Barkley would undergo an MRI on Monday morning while still in Arizona.

The Giants' next three opponents are all playoff teams from last season: The San Francisco 49ers on Thursday night, followed by the Seattle Seahawks and Miami Dolphins. Matt Breida, Gary Brightwell and rookie Eric Gray will try to fill the void in those games.

There was hope that Barkley had avoided a serious injury and it was just a normal ankle sprain, not the dreaded high ankle sprain that generally sidelines players for multiple weeks.

Barkley, 26, is playing on a revised franchise tag this year. He's set to become a free agent at the end of the season and was hoping to put himself in position for a significant payday.

Missing time because of injury will not help.

«Obviously, my contract stuff and everything was public and talked about,» Barkley said recently. «I would turn on