Peterson heaps praise on Barkley's 'God-given ability'

Adrian Peterson knows the pressures of being a highly drafted running back, and the future Hall of Famer's been blown away by Saquon Barkley's rookie season to date.

Barkley, the No. 2 overall pick by the New York Giants this year, has been a bright spot for the 1-6 team, totaling nearly 1,000 yards from scrimmage and seven touchdowns already despite a struggling passing game and inconsistent run blocking.

"You can just see with the talent," Peterson said of Barkley, according to John Keim of ESPN. "It's obvious, him being a rookie and what he's accomplished so far. That doesn't happen every year or even two or three or four years (where) that type of talent comes around."

Peterson will get an up close and personal look at the rookie phenom when the Redskins visit the Giants on Sunday.

"From what I've seen so far he shows some God-given ability," Peterson added. "Great patience, his lower-body strength and balance is amazing. He flows."

Peterson also emphasized that Barkley's strong play should highlight the continued importance of running backs, calling the league-wide devaluation of the position "crazy."