Cam Skattebo
Getty
New York Giants rookie RB Cam Skattebo had a surprising reaction to his breakout game in Week 2.
He scored his first NFL touchdown as part of a generally impressive rushing performance, but New York Giants rookie running back Cam Skattebo wasn’t entirely happy with his breakout game in Week 2.
The fourth-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft gained 45 yards on 11 carries against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium, but Skattebo told reporters, Whatever my role is I’m going to do my best to execute it. 50 yards, in my eyes is not enough,” per SNY.tv’s Giants Videos.
"50 yards, in my eyes, is not enough. We fought to the end, I'm proud of our team…a hard-fought battle right there."
– Cam Skattebo on his performance and the Giants' loss to the Cowboys pic.twitter.com/RV2sNVWhg8
— Giants Videos (@SNYGiants) September 14, 2025
That’s a surprising reaction from a first-year pro given the starting rushing chores in just his second regular-season game. Although he credited quarterback Russell Wilson and his receivers for doing “a great job on the edges, being able to open up things for me on the inside,” Skattebo did showcase the qualities sure to make him an asset to a running game still in a state of flux.
Cam Skattebo Took Lead in Struggling Running Game
Former Arizona State star Skattebo was handed the reins to the lead workhorse role in the backfield and responded the right way. The 23-year-old ran angry on this play highlighted by Nick Falato of SB Nation’s Big Blue View.
This is the kind of play the Skattebo promised shortly after being drafted. Punishing defenders is a core part of his game, something the Giants were happy to scheme around in Dallas.
One of the best schemes was this “full-house formation,” also highlighted by Falato, that featured first-round pick Jaxson Dart as a “read-option” quarterback.
Jaxson Dart enters the field in a full-house formation that resulted in a 24 yard run by Cam Skattebo before the rookie RB cruised into the end zone on the next play.
Read-option with the a field guard & tackle pull w/ two tight ends leading if kept. pic.twitter.com/lCnDM9OcRX
— Nick Falato (@nickfalato) September 15, 2025
This was the signature play of Skattebo’s performance. While he struggled to make dent on his 10 other carries, Skattebo did add the physical element the Giants have missed since Saquon Barkley was allowed to join NFC East rivals the Philadelphia Eagles in free agency last offseason.
Barkley’s departure prompted a major reshuffle in the backfield, but the Giants are still trying to work out the pecking order, based on how things played out against the Cowboys.
Giants Still Working Out Backfield Rotation
The Giants sprung a surprise of sorts when veteran Devin Singletary initially appeared with the starters, per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan. Singletary has been a forgotten figure, but he went ahead of potential breakout star, second-year starter Tyrone Tracy Jr., who was “back to return the opening kickoff,” according to Dan Duggan of The Athletic.
Whether or not Tracy was demoted because of criticism he made about offensive coordinator Mike Kafka’s play-calling isn’t known. What is clear is Skattebo got the lion’s share of the carries in critical moments, including when the Giants had the chance to take the lead in the fourth quarter.
Kafka and head coach Brian Daboll called Skattebo’s number at the goal-line, and he promptly submarined through traffic with a low base and squared shoulders.
It was a classic smash-mouth run no member of the Cowboys’ defense wanted any part of stopping. This is the edge Skattebo gives to the Giants.
His brute force is a natural complement to the one-cut and go quickness of Tracy and Singletary. It’s a solid mix that can provide the balance Wilson will need to maintain the form he displayed during a bounce-back effort against the Cowboys.