4 NY Giants position battles for Brian Daboll to focus on

The NFL preseason is the best time of year for teams to look at their depth in game action against different matchups and opponents, finalize their 53-man roster, and establish their Week 1 starters. To start things off, NY Giants fans got a first look at what they can expect from the team's depth in game play when Big Blue defeated the Detroit Lions 14-3.

It will be crucial that head coach Brian Daboll and New York's coaching staff continue to monitor positional battles throughout the preseason to fill the remaining holes on the Giants' roster. As the preseason rolls on, we can expect specific position battles to heat up, some of which Big Blue fans can watch in Week 2 against the Houston Texans on Saturday. With that being said, let's look at four positional battles that Daboll will focus on throughout the preseason:

4. Backup running back

The Giants brought Devin 'Motor' Singletary in as Saquon Barkley's replacement out of the backfield. The new No. 26 will be the team's Week 1 starter, but the question is, who will be the Giants' RB2 to start the year? With Saquon no longer a member of the Giants, this will open up the opportunity for several players in the rushing and passing game, and with an improved offensive line, we can expect to see an increase in production out of the backfield.

This year, Tyrone Tracy Jr., Eric Gray, and Dante 'Turbo' Miller will compete for opportunities, especially as a goal-line running back. Last week against the Lions, the 2023 fifth-rounder Gray put on a show, posting four carries for 52 yards, two rushing touchdowns, and four receptions for another 46 yards. His biggest play of the night was a 48-yard TD early in the second quarter. Gray's performance landed him a spot on Pro Football Focus's Preseason Week 1 Team of the Week.

Many people anticipated that Tracy or Turbo would outright win the RB2 job out of camp and Gray would not be considered, but the Oklahoma product silenced those rumors quickly. If Gray continues to dominate the rest of the preseason, we expect him to get more opportunities in Daboll's offense and split carries with Motor. Tracy is dealing with a low-ankle sprain, so he's out for the rest of the preseason. He could try and push for the RB2 job once he's back to full health, but for now, Gray is in the driver's seat.