Even before the New York Giants neared final cuts this past summer, we were among those openly speculating about Devin Singletary’s fit in a busy running back room.
We’re now over a third of the way into the 2026 season, and the Giants need Singletary now more than ever. The former Florida Atlantic standout led New York running backs with 31 snaps in Sunday’s disappointing loss to the Saints.
Cam Skattebo’s benching and a pass-heavy game plan meant more action for Singletary, who tallied 33 yards (14 rushing, 19 receiving) on five touches. The fumble-prone Skattebo only played six snaps and didn’t record a carry.
“Nobody’s really taken the bull by the horns,” Giants coach John Harbaugh told reporters. “Motor really hadn’t had the chance to take the bull by the horns, so we thought we’d get him in the mix, too.”
Harbaugh’s comments and the overall Skattebo situation have since gone viral, and we’ll see whether Singletary can take full advantage.
Could Devin Singletary fix the New York Giants’ running back problems?
The answer is no, at least from a long-term perspective. Singletary just turned 29 and is in the final year of his contract. We suggested the Giants target a running back in next spring’s draft long before Skattebo was benched.
But we live in the now, and the 3-2-1 Giants still sit alone atop the NFC East. There’s a realistic road to the playoffs, and even more so given the Eagles’ quarterback problems; Jalen Hurts is out for the season with blood clots in his lungs, and the recently released Andy Dalton declined their offer to return.
Singletary is an adequate backup, and we’re not opposed to him splitting carries in a rotation. But at this stage in his career, there’s no reason to believe he can be an above-average starter. His yards per carry have dropped each of the last four years, and he’s not someone who consistently beats teams as a receiver.
For what it’s worth, we saw Singletary and Tyrone Tracy Jr. share touches following Skattebo’s injury last October. Could that be the case again? Tracy has apparently worked his way out of Harbaugh’s doghouse, with Skattebo taking his place.
Frankly, we’re not sure whether that’s a solution, nor is trading for a running back. The Giants also have Phil Mafah, a 2025 Cowboys seventh-round pick, on the practice squad.
The safest play might be giving Skattebo one final opportunity and hoping Sunday afternoon truly resonated with him. Otherwise, Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Matt Nagy need to fully unleash backup quarterback J.J. McCarthy and accept the injury risks associated with him scrambling.
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