When he’s not running his own offensive linemen into the ground out of the backfield, New York Giants rookie running back Cam Skattebo is putting defenders through the Earth. The 23-year-old tailback needed exactly one touch to confirm everything we thought we knew about the former Arizona State superstar.
Skatt’s Week 1 box score didn’t turn heads, probably because “bodies left in the wake” isn’t an official stat yet. Giants fans saw it — one touch, and it was clear this guy is going to be a serious problem to bring down. But don’t just take my word for it. NFL Network’s Kyle Brandt (notorious Skattebo fanboy) has officially handed the honors of the season’s first Angry Runs scepter to none other than the human fire hydrant himself.
The Week 1 winner of Angry Runs from @KyleBrandt is none other than @Giants RB Cam Skattebo 😤 pic.twitter.com/nJ0fGWKoGP
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) September 9, 2025
It’s not every day a six-yard catch (that didn’t even go for a first down) ends up worthy of the scepter, but take away the context, and this was about as angry a catch-and-run as fans are going to see. And it was electric. Three Commanders defenders were left in the wreckage, setting up a very real opportunity against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 2. Dallas isn’t exactly known for stuffing the run, which could open the door to a massive day for Skattebo on Sunday.
Giants rookie Cam Skattebo could be key to jump-starting broken offense
In order to snap their eight-game losing streak against the Cowboys, the G-Men need to hit them where it hurts the most — on the ground. The Micah Parsons-less ’Boys were gashed by Philly in their season opener, surrendering 158 yards on 38 carries, with three touchdowns to boot.
After coming off a miserable 21–6 loss to the Commanders in Week 1, where Big Blue amassed a whopping 74 yards on 23 carries (3.2 yards per rush), Dallas couldn’t come at a better time. Take away Russell Wilson’s 44 yards, and the running backs were nonexistent in the losing effort:
Player | Rushing attempts | Rushing yards |
|---|---|---|
Tyrone Tracy Jr. | 10 | 24 |
Devin Singletary | 3 | 9 |
Cam Skattebo | 2 | -3 |
That’s appalling and embarrassing, and the team should be ashamed of itself. Head coach Brian Daboll will need to figure out how to get the running game involved early and often, so why not lean on the former fifth-place Heisman finalist?
New York didn’t select Skatt in the fourth round to keep him on the shelf. Players who rack up over 2,300 scrimmage yards and 24 touchdowns in one season don’t grow on trees. It’s time for Dabs to unleash the violent-running rookie and see what he can do. It’s only Week 2, but at this point, another no-show could be the difference between a job and the couch. So why wait?
In limited action, Skattebo has already proven he’s hungry and angry — if only there was a word for that... oh, HANGRY. He’s going to run through whoever’s put in front of him. Why not take that energy and mentality and utilize it against the league’s fifth-worst rushing defense?
He might be a relatively unknown commodity now, but don’t be surprised if the offense turns to the 23-year-old early and often to give them an edge. With the shaky Dallas D up next, look for Skatt to play spoiler, ruining the Cowboys’ home opener.