Cam Skattebo Reclaims Giants Backfield While J.J. McCarthy Gets a Long Leash

The New York Giants are officially handing the backfield keys back to Cam Skattebo, which is fantastic news for anyone who enjoys watching a guy bounce back from an injury that sounded like a medieval torture method.

According to Ian Rapoport, Skattebo is expected to resume his role as the lead running back this Sunday against the Houston Texans. Rapoport also noted that quarterback J.J. McCarthy has a "long leash," which is just NFL front-office translation for having absolutely no backup plan.

"Ian Rapoport noted that Skattebo is expected to resume his role as the lead back and that J.J. McCarthy has a 'long leash'."

Skattebo taking over the heavy lifting is the only logical move for a 3-2-1 Giants team trying to stay alive in the NFC East. He has ground out 294 rushing yards and a touchdown so far this season. That production is honestly a medical marvel when you remember his 2025 campaign ended with a dislocated ankle, a fractured fibula, and a ruptured ligament.

Now he gets to test that rebuilt leg against a 2-4 Texans squad. A heavy dose of Skattebo is exactly what you want if you are holding his rushing props, but it is also a pure survival tactic for New York's passing game.

That brings us to McCarthy and his supposedly infinite leash. The young quarterback basically has one real game of tape this year, stepping in last week against the New Orleans Saints to throw for 243 yards, one touchdown, and one interception on 21 attempts. The Giants lost that game 34-27, but apparently, the coaching staff saw enough to let him keep cooking.

Giving a raw quarterback a long leash is a lot easier when you can just turn around and hand the ball to a workhorse running back 20 times a game.

We will find out Sunday in Houston if this combination actually works. If Skattebo handles the volume and McCarthy avoids a total meltdown, the Giants might just hang around the playoff picture. If not, that long leash is going to turn into a tripwire.