He’s not even fully healthy yet, but New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo is already predicted to break a significant barrier during his second NFL season.
The dynamic bruiser who ended his rookie campaign on injured reserve thanks to a dislocated ankle is projected to recover sufficiently to become Big Blue’s first 1,000-yard rusher since a certain Saquon Barkley in 2022.
That’s the bold take from ESPN’s Mike Clay. He has Skattebo running the ball 250 times for 1,049 yards and scoring seven touchdowns on the ground in 2026.
Those are lofty numbers for a young player still getting over a serious injury, but there are at least three compelling reasons to believe Skattebo can break the 1,000-yard barrier this season.
Cam Skattebo Has 3 Reasons to Enjoy Breakout Year
The first of those reasons involves John Harbaugh taking over as head coach. Harbaugh traditionally favored heavy doses of power running during 18 seasons in charge of the Baltimore Ravens, and he figures to adopt the same approach with the Giants.
That’s not idle speculation. Not after Harbaugh hired his former Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman to call the running game for Big Blue.
Roman’s lengthy history of overloading the line of scrimmage and backfield to free talented runners for big gains bodes well for Skattebo. So does the arrival of another former Raven, All-Pro fullback Patrick Ricard.
He knows all about how Roman does things, and 6-foot-3, 300-pounder Ricard is already relishing clearing the path for Skattebo to run through defenses.
Ricard’s presence will make Skattebo more productive, but so will yet another newcomer. One who’s set to make his mark in the trenches. The second of the Giants’ two 2026 NFL draft first-round picks, guard Francis Mauigoa, quickly expressed his excitement about blocking for Skattebo.
The beefy combination of Ricard and Mauigoa bludgeoning defenders ahead of him, will give Skattebo more room to build up a head of steam and get to the second and third levels in a hurry. It means bigger gains await the smash-mouth style runner who averaged a solid 4.1 yards per carry before injury struck as a rookie.
All signs point toward a banner campaign for Skattebo once he’s healthy, but the Giants have other reasons to expect huge numbers out of the backfield.
2026 Giants Will Be Strong on the Ground
The Harbaugh and Roman system will be good for everybody who runs the ball for the Giants, but perhaps no player will benefit more than dual-threat quarterback Jaxson Dart.
His reckless aggression earned Dart criticism as a rookie, but he can learn to run the ball smarter and more selectively under the new staff. Both Harbaugh and Roman oversaw Lamar Jackson’s steady transition from explosive running QB to well-rounded signal-caller in Baltimore.
Roman and Harbaugh know how much a quarterback with genuine rushing skills can stress defenses, so they won’t rein Dart in completely. Nor will Giants’ coaches, including overall offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, ignore the speedy, slashing style of Tyrone Tracy Jr.
He’s got a more versatile skill-set than Skattebo, but Tracy has the same appetite for running the ball. That’s not something the Giants always did enough of last season, but the offense is sure to be more run-heavy on Harbaugh’s watch, with Skattebo primed to be the key figure.
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