Giants bench Cam Skattebo for Saints game after four fumbles
Web StoryWatch this story in 15 seconds →Key takeaways
- The Giants benched Cam Skattebo for Week 6 against the Saints. He had four fumbles in five games.
- Najee Harris, 28, started in his place. He opened his career with four straight 1,000-yard seasons.
- The Saints entered the game ranked 30th against the run. They gave up 148 yards per game.
The New York Giants made a big change on Sunday. They benched running back Cam Skattebo. Veteran Najee Harris started in his place.
The Week 6 game was against the New Orleans Saints. It took place at MetLife Stadium.
A running back carries the ball on most running plays. It is one of the most trusted jobs in football. The coach must trust the player with the ball.
Skattebo lost that trust for now. His fumbles cost the team too much.
To bench a player means to leave him out of the starting lineup. Skattebo did not lose his roster spot. He lost his starting job.
He could still play in the game. But Harris would get the first snaps.
The move did not come out of nowhere. It followed weeks of dropped balls. It followed one fumble that cost the Giants a win.
This is the story of that change. It is also the story of what comes next.
What happened
Skattebo has fumbled four times in five games this season. A fumble means the ball carrier drops the ball. The other team can then pick it up.
Four fumbles in five games is a lot. Coaches hate fumbles. Each one can flip a game.
The worst fumble came last week. The Giants played the Washington Commanders. The game ended in a 27-27 tie.
It went to overtime. Overtime is extra time after a tied game. The Giants had a real chance to win it.
Late in overtime, the Giants drove to the Washington 24-yard line. Skattebo helped them get there. Three of his runs gained 33 yards.
The Giants were in range for a field goal. A field goal is a kick worth three points. It would have won the game.
Rookie kicker Dominic Zvada was ready to try a 42-yard kick. He had already missed three field goals in the rain. The kick never came.
Skattebo fought for extra yards. Washington defensive end Daron Payne hit him. The ball came loose.
The chance to win was gone.
That play sealed the change. Head coach John Harbaugh spoke about fumbles on Friday. A reporter asked if there comes a point when changes must be made.
Harbaugh said yes.
"Of course," Harbaugh said. "Yes. There is a point.
"
The reporter then asked if he had reached that point with Skattebo. Harbaugh gave a short answer.
"We'll see. We'll find out," Harbaugh said.
On Sunday, the answer became clear. Harris took the first running back snaps in pregame warmups. Warmups are the drills before the game starts.
The first running back in warmups is the starter. Harris had been promoted. Skattebo had been benched.
The change was not a surprise to people who follow the team. ESPN reporter Jordan Raanan had said a change was coming. He said the expectation was a new running back rotation.
A rotation is how a team shares snaps between players. Raanan said Skattebo would get fewer snaps. He said Harris would get a bigger workload.
The Giants also made all four running backs active for the game. Harris and Skattebo would serve as the main ball carriers. Tyrone Tracy Jr.
would serve as a pass-catching option. Devin Singletary would serve as a blocker. Singletary is 29 years old.
He had been a healthy scratch for the past three games. A healthy scratch means a fit player who is left out. He was back in the lineup on Sunday.
Why it matters
Ball security is the top job for a running back. Yards do not matter if the ball hits the ground. Skattebo has struggled on both fronts this year.
He is averaging only 3.6 yards per rush. A rush is one running play. That number is low for a starter.
His rookie season looked very different. He had just one fumble in eight games. He also scored seven total touchdowns.
A touchdown is worth six points. It is the biggest score in football. This season, he has four fumbles and just one touchdown.
The drop is sharp.
The problem is not only Skattebo. None of the Giants running backs got going in the first five games. Skattebo, Harris, and Tracy have all fumbled at least once.
The team calls its running game stagnant. Stagnant means stuck and slow. The coaches wanted a new spark.
Harris brings a strong record. He started his career with four straight 1,000-yard rushing seasons. All four came with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
That is a rare feat. It means he gained at least 1,000 yards on the ground in each season. He signed with the Chargers in 2025. He tore his Achilles three games into that season.
The Achilles is a tendon above the heel. The injury ended his year.
He has not shown much burst in his brief time with the Giants. Burst means quick speed off the first step. Still, the coaches trust his ball security.
Harris has fumbled just six times in six NFL seasons. He had zero fumbles in three of those six seasons. That record is a big reason he got the job.
The matchup also helped the case for change. The Saints came into the game with a weak run defense. They ranked 30th in the NFL against the run.
They gave up 148 yards per game on the ground. That is near the bottom of the league. There are 32 teams in the NFL.
Only two teams gave up more.
One analysis noted the Saints gave up the second-highest EPA per rush. EPA is a stat that tracks how much each run helps a team score. The Saints also gave up the highest rushing success rate in the league.
An opposing back had reached 100 rushing yards in each of the last two games. Even 31-year-old Aaron Jones passed the century mark against them.
The Saints have lost three straight games. Their weak run defense is a key reason for the slide. The Giants saw a clear opening.
A strong running game could control the game. It could keep the Saints offense off the field. It could also take pressure off the passing game.
The benching also sends a message to the whole locker room. The locker room is the team area where players dress. The message is simple.
Fumbles have consequences. No starter is safe if the ball keeps hitting the ground. Harbaugh drew a line on Friday.
On Sunday, he acted on it.
For Skattebo, the benching is a wake-up call. He is in his second NFL season. He was meant to be the workhorse back.
A workhorse back carries the load for a team. That role is now in doubt. His early-season struggles have put his long-term standing as the starter at risk.
He must earn the trust back.
What happens next
Watch Harris first. He gets the start against a soft run defense. The Saints give up steady gains on the ground.
They have allowed only three runs of 20 or more yards this season. That means they do not give up many big plays. But they give up small gains all game long.
That style suits Harris. He runs with patience. He takes what the defense gives him.
If Harris holds the ball and moves the chains, the job may stay his. Moving the chains means gaining a first down. A first down keeps the drive alive.
Harris does not need a huge game. He needs a clean game. No fumbles.
Steady yards. That would be enough to keep the trust.
Watch Skattebo next. He is still part of the plan. The Giants made all four backs active.
Skattebo will get snaps. He will get a chance to show he can hold the ball. His best path back is simple.
Take care of the ball. Gain solid yards. Show the coaches the fumbles are fixed.
The Saints game is a good test for him too. The Saints defense gives up steady gains. Skattebo runs with power.
He fights for extra yards. That style can work against this defense. But he must know when to go down.
Fighting for one more yard caused the last fumble. Sometimes the smart play is to protect the ball and take the tackle.
Watch the rotation as well. The Giants may share the work all season. Harris could lead the group.
Tracy could catch passes out of the backfield. Singletary could block on passing downs. A shared backfield can work.
It keeps each player fresh. It also gives the coaches options if one player struggles.
The bigger picture is the season. The Giants tied last week. They did not get their fourth win.
The tie still counts as a missed chance. The team needs wins to stay in the race. A strong running game helps in close games.
It eats the clock. It keeps the defense rested. It gives the team control.
The Saints have their own problems. They have lost three games in a row. Their run defense keeps leaking yards.
If the Giants run well on Sunday, it could set the tone for weeks. If the Giants fumble again, the coaches may shuffle the group once more.
Skattebo still has time to win the job back. One clean game can change the story. The coaches benched him for a reason.
They also kept him active for a reason. They still believe he can help the team. Now he must prove it.
The ball is in his hands.
Read our explainer on the 27-27 tie with the Commanders. That game forced this change. For other Week 6 news, see Jalen Hurts ruled out for Panthers game.
Also read our Browns vs. Ravens Week 6 preview.
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