New York Giants defensive tackle Elijah Chatman is fighting for his job, and he's not exactly doing it by the proverbial book.
The 6-foot, 278-pound interior lineman was already an underdog story when he went from undrafted free agent minicamp tryout to 53-man roster spot last year.
But with Darius Alexander now in the fold and the defensive tackle room as deep as it’s been in years, Chatman’s roster odds are getting slimmer by the day. And it looks like he knows it. Judging by what the team rolled out at practice on Tuesday, so do the G-Men.
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Chatman lined up at fullback during red zone work and led the way for an electric Tyrone Tracy Jr. touchdown. Take a look at the big man leading the charge in the clip below:
OMG ELIJAH CHATMAN AT FULLBACK pic.twitter.com/1NFIVeMlsS
— Bobby Skinner (@BobbySkinner_) July 29, 2025
It was objectively awesome. It also wasn't out of nowhere. Chatman had 27 snaps at fullback during his final season at SMU, and he racked up over 1,600 rushing yards in high school. Some bubble guys have to show they can play special teams to stick, but if there's one trick left in Chatman's bag to extend his NFL career, it might be in the backfield.
Elijah Chatman is putting it all out there to make Giants roster
There aren't many defensive tackles trying to stick on a roster by playing offense, but Chatman is built a little differently... literally and figuratively. He might be undersized for a traditional NFL interior lineman, but he squats a small SUV and plays like he's late to punch someone in the mouth.
It's how he earned a roster spot last year. It's how he's trying to earn one again Year 2.
New York didn’t carry a true fullback in 2024. They might not carry one in 2025 either. But if they do, it just might be because Chatman forced their hand. It might be too awesome not to indulge.
His lead blocking at SMU was legitimately effective, and he graded out with an 85.4 run-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus during his final year there. Tracy Jr. isn’t the first guy to look good running behind him. Just imagine a jumbo package with Cam Skattebo running behind the defensive tackle turned fullback. The Eagles might have the tush push, but this is so much better... and cooler.
Realistically, this isn’t some desperate ploy to hang around. It’s a smart move to stay noticeable when the position group he's in is overcrowded. Chatman’s not making the roster because he lined up at fullback one time in July, but showing he can do something different, especially when it’s something he's already done, is a good way to stay relevant and get noticed when the coaches start making tough calls. If it helps him stick around, even better. Let's just hope they actually use him.