Tyrone Tracy Jr., Devin Singletary ready for extra Giants’ load

Plan B for the Giants at running back is last year’s Plan A.

Cam Skattebo’s contagious energy and physical style will be hard to replace as he sits out the rest of the season recovering from a dislocated ankle, but the depth-challenged Giants are better suited to withstand an injury at running back than at most other positions because Tyrone Tracy Jr. and seven-year veteran Devin “Motor” Singletary are waiting in the wings.

Tracy rushed for 839 yards (4.4 per carry) as a rookie starter last season and was the Week 1 starter over the rookie Skattebo.

“I feel good,” Tracy said. “It really sucks that [Skattebo] is not going to be out there with me because I think we had a good duo going. I’m just trying to do everything I can for him.”

Tracy suffered a dislocated shoulder in Week 3 and missed two games. During his absence, Skattebo took over as the starter and emerged as a fan favorite.

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Skattebo has scored seven of the 21 Giants touchdowns this season.

Head coach Brian Daboll said that Tracy handled his minimized role like a “pro.” He has 45 carries for 159 yards and one touchdown in six games.

Singletary, who is making a $4.765 million salary that towers over Skattebo’s and Tracy’s earnings, made a difficult 28-yard catch into the red zone in the fourth quarter Sunday against the Eagles.

“We have two really good guys to step up and replicate what Skatt brought to our offense in tandem,” right guard Greg Van Roten said. “We’re just excited for [Tracy] to get back to form and build on what he did last year. I think he is a better player this year than he was last year – he’s seen a lot of stuff, more comfortable in his role. I think he’s anxious to show that he’s still a good running back.”

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Daboll was in no mood to discuss for the first time the $100,000 fine that he received — and the $200,000 fine that the Giants received — for “creating the perception” that he was interfering with the concussion protocol during Jaxson Dart’s sideline exam on Oct. 9.

“I’ve had conversations with the league,” Daboll said, “and that’s the way they’ll stay.”

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The tackle that Eagles LB Zack Baun made on the play that left Skattebo injured could be classified as an illegal “hip-drop tackle,” though it wasn’t penalized. 

“It’s a controversial thing,” Giants DT Rakeem Nunez-Roches said. “I’m not going to get into that. My heart right now is with my guy Skattebo. He’s the one that took the biggest blow from the injury.

“Regardless of whether it was a hip-drop or just a regular routine tackle, we lost somebody that’s very near and dear to us. So, I mean, did he do it on purpose? We don’t know. He was probably just trying to make the best tackle he could. Skattebo is a hard guy to tackle. And with all the rules going on right now, it makes it that much harder to tackle opponents like that of Skattebo’s caliber. So, I’m not going to say it was a dirty play. I’m not going to say it was a hip-drop.”

Van Roten, who was nearest to Skattebo, said he was more focused on Skattebo’s foot than the tackle. 

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The controversial officiating decision that Jalen Hurts’ forward progress was stopped before Kayvon Thibodeaux ripped the ball out of his hands on a Tush Push was not reviewable.

Maybe the Giants will get a meaningless apology from the league office.

“No, haven’t heard from the league about it,” Daboll said. “Any of those penalties or officiating, I’m not going to comment on.”