Devastating Cam Skattebo injury update delivers gut punch Giants feared

The New York Giants’ nightmare of a Week 8 was so much worse than what the final scoreboard read. What started as a routine divisional matchup quickly spiraled into another injury-riddled disaster, with electric rookie running back Cam Skattebo carted off the field before halftime.

Related: Cam Skattebo suffers gut-wrenching injury in Giants’ Week 8 matchup vs Eagles

It was hard to watch. The team already lost star wideout Malik Nabers, and Skattebo had stepped up to become one of the most exciting pieces of the team. His ability to spark life into New York was evident from the jump, and when he caught a touchdown pass from rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart in the first quarter, it looked like the rookie duo could steal another victory it had no business stealing.

Then the good feelings came crashing down.

Midway through the second quarter, Skattebo’s leg bent awkwardly on an illegal hip-drop tackle from Eagles linebacker Zack Baun. Dart’s immediate reaction told you everything you needed to know, but the broadcast cutting away from the scene confirmed every Giants fan’s worst fear. It was a dislocated ankle that'll require surgery, and NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported that will take place Sunday night in Philly:

Giants rookie running back sensation Cam Skattebo to undergo surgery after dislocating ankle

While the team hasn’t officially ruled him out for the year, nobody is expecting the 23-year-old to return in 2025. Surgery all but rules out a return. Even still, the news was simultaneously crushing and the first step in the right direction.

The injury couldn’t have come at a worse time. With Nabers already missing the season with a torn ACL, this offense was going to rely even more on Skattebo’s physicality and playmaking. In just eight games, he put up 617 yards from scrimmage and seven total touchdowns.

That kind of production doesn't just grow on trees.

Now, the job falls to second-year back Tyrone Tracy Jr., who came alive late last season and has flashed when given touches. He’s going to get all he can handle moving forward. Don’t be surprised if training camp standout Dante “Turbo” Miller gets a call-up from the practice squad either.

The coaches loved his burst in August, and at this point, the depth chart isn’t offering many alternatives, and a trade for a running back seems very unlikely.

There's no sugarcoating. It’s a brutal blow to a rookie campaign that had started to feel like something magical. Now, the Giants have to figure out how to finish the season without two of their most dynamic weapons — and do it fast, or else.