There was genuine excitement, albeit somewhat unrealistic, about the possibility of Saquon Barkley returning in the middle of last week. After Wayne Gallman’s breakout performance, the Giants were going to have real depth in their backfield.

That didn’t last long. Barkley was inactive on Sunday, still out with a high ankle sprain, and Gallman suffered a concussion on the first offensive drive of the game.

It left them with an undrafted free agent (Jon Hilliman) who began the season on their practice squad and a fullback (Eli Penny) who had seven carries all last year.

Predictably, it showed.

The Giants’ running game was probably not going to be overly productive against the Vikings’ brute front seven anyway, but it was downright anemic in an ugly 28-10 loss at MetLife Stadium, managing just 64 yards on 20 carries and a Vikings safety.

“It’s tough. You hate to see Wayne go out early and obviously Hilliman and Penny came in and did what they can,” tight end Evan Engram said. “It’s tough to lose guys in general.”

Gallman was lost on the Giants’ first offensive possession, after picking up 14 yards on two carries, with a concussion. A week ago, he was an unsung star, notching 118 yards of offense and two touchdowns.

It’s uncertain where the Giants can turn for a running back on a short week, with their next game Thursday night in Foxborough against the Patriots and their fourth-ranked rushing defense. While Barkley did return to practice on Friday in a limited basis, he is just two weeks removed from a high ankle sprain that was supposed to keep him out for at least a month. There was no word on Gallman on Sunday, but he would have to get out of concussion protocol in a hurry to be active.

“Obviously, that’s a no-brainer [that we want Barkley back], but we got to smart with his recover, be smart with his timeline,” Engram said.

The Giants may not have any other choice but turning to Hilliman and Penny against the defending Super Bowl champions. Hilliman averaged 2.2 yards on nine carries and was caught in the end zone for that safety in the second quarter. Of the two, Penny was more productive, rushing for 15 yards on three carries and catching one pass for 9 yards. He could see a bigger role against the Patriots.

“I’m just always confident. I study like no other,” Penny said. “I’m ready for anything.”