It’s not easy to be a noteworthy rookie on a 3-win team. It’s even harder to stand out when your offense is a weekly dumpster fire. But somehow, Tyrone Tracy Jr. managed to be one of the few bright spots in what was otherwise a forgettable 2024 New York Giants season.
A fifth-round pick out of Purdue who had only been playing running back for two seasons, Tracy emerged as the team’s leading rusher and earned a PFWA All-Rookie Team nod for his efforts. He finished with 839 rushing yards, five touchdowns, and 1,123 total scrimmage yards. That mark was the fourth-most by a rookie in franchise history. And yet, despite everything he did to put the league on notice, Tracy was still ranked No. 30 on Pro Football Focus’ preseason list of top-32 running backs.
Good luck finding 29 better running backs. That's just blatantly disrespectful. His ranking is borderline criminal.
Tyrone Tracy Jr. gets buried in PFF's running back rankings
Trevor Sikkema of PFF acknowledged the basics: "Tracy enjoyed a solid rookie campaign in which he recorded 839 rushing yards with a 69.6 PFF rushing grade. As a former receiver, his 40.9 PFF receiving grade was disappointing, but expect that to bounce back.”
That’s all true. But it’s also not the full picture. Tracy started 12 games, stepped in after the Singletary signing practically, predictably, and immediately flopped, and gave the G-Men legitimate play out of the backfield when almost nothing else on the offense (outside Malik Nabers) worked.
He showed vision, burst, patience, and legitimate third-down potential. And he did it all while still learning the nuances of the position.
Tracy had some hiccups — ball security and pass protection need work — but he also flashed serious upside as a do-it-all back. He’s ranked behind not one, not two, but four rookies who haven’t taken an NFL snap yet. That’s where this ranking starts to lose the plot.
The G-Men didn’t rest on what Tracy did last year, adding Cam Skattebo in the fourth round to beef up the running back room. That’s smart roster building, not necessarily a sign of doubt. Tracy is still the lead back heading into 2025, and the front office expects him to grow into an even bigger role.
Tracy might not be a household name yet, but ranking him behind rookies who haven’t taken a single NFL snap is flat-out absurd. He already proved he can carry a backfield in this league. Putting him at No. 30 feels less like analysis and more like a lazy overlook. At some point, the production has to matter. Here's to Tracy making this ranking look ridiculous.