We talked about this some in the latest update, but now ESPN's Jordan Raanan, on the Giants beat, is even more unequivocal. Tyrone Tracy will start, Cam Skattebo will be the backup. Despite how they're being drafted in some fantasy leagues.
"It's 100 percent Tyrone Tracy...there is no competition," says Raanan.
Fantasy ADP data has the two being drafted almost back to back, both in the 32-34 range at the position. To some point it makes sense. You have to select rookies earlier if you want them; you're drafting them on upside and a higher ceiling, not the realistic expectation. If you draft Skattebo, maybe you're aware he'll be on your bench the first month of the season, but if Tracy stumbles (or fumbles), Skattebo can swoop in and be a steal.
But Skattebo was just a fourth-round pick, he's missed most of the past week with a hamstring injury, and Tracy was pretty good last year. While I understand drafting the rookie as a guy who could emerge during the year, Tracy was pretty good last year.
He had a two-game stretch midseason where he fumbled 3 times, 2 lost. One of those miscues gave the Panthers the winning points in their overtime loss. People remember that.
But Tracy fumbled just once (not lost) in the last six games, and he continued to play over two-thirds of the snaps. Production was solid down the stretch, as shown below. (Table shows the rookie's seven games after that Carolina fumble.)
| TRACY POST-CAROLINA, 2024 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opp. | Run | Tgt | No | Rec | TD |
| T.B. | 42 | 4 | 4 | 28 | 0 |
| at Dal. | 32 | 3 | 2 | 33 | 1 |
| N.O. | 45 | 10 | 5 | 38 | 1 |
| Bal. | 31 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| at Atl. | 26 | 4 | 4 | 43 | 1 |
| Ind. | 59 | 3 | 2 | 14 | 0 |
| at Phi. | 59 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 0 |
| Avg. | 42 | 4 | 3 | 24 | 0.4 |
Tracy wasn't putting up big numbers on that broken team, but averaging 15 touches and 66 total yards, with 3 TDs in seven games, wasn't bad. And earlier, when he took the job away from Devin Singletary, he rushed for over 100 yards and scored in three of his games, including that Carolina game.
I don't think you can draft him with full confidence of staying in the lineup. Obviously a healthy Skattebo will have a role. Maybe he plays in some passing situations, maybe they try him near the goal line. Lots of possibilities.
But I'm with Raanan on the basic thought that Tracy is being undervalued, and Skattebo overdrafted. There's risk with either, but the second-year back looks like the better bet.
--Andy Richardson