Mere hours after Saquon Barkley signed with the division-rival Eagles, New York found their new starting running back in Devin Singletary. Singletary signed a three-year deal with New York after a successful year in Houston, and he’ll immediately assume the RB1 gig with only Gary Brightwell and Eric Gray behind him.
DEVIN SINGLETARY
Old ranking: 138th overall on Underdog
New ranking: 85th overall
- Singletary began 2023 as the RB2 behind Dameon Pierce but beat out the second-year back for the starting job by midseason, and he was a complete workhorse down the stretch with four games of at least 22 carries over the second half of the season. This has been a theme of Singletary’s career: He’s given RB competition in the summer and typically ends up in the good graces of coaches by midseason. However, the Giants’ current roster has practically zero competition for the veteran, so he’ll be an unquestioned Week 1 starter unless NYG adds major competition (which is still possible).
- The problem for Singletary is that it’s night and day between a C.J. Stroud-led Texans attack and this (likely) Daniel Jones-led Giants offense. New York has no above-average WR talents and the passing game runs through brittle Darren Waller, who turns 32 years old in September. The Giants aren’t going to score a lot of points, and most of Singletary’s touches will be of low value. While there isn’t much competition for the passing-down role on the roster right now, Singletary has been in the league for five years and has yet to post even an average PFF receiving grade. I’d be careful about predicting significant receiving volume. They could still add someone to fill that role, too, especially since Brightwell and Gray haven’t even proven themselves as capable RB2s at the NFL level.
- Projectable volume is currently the most enticing thing about Singletary’s fantasy outlook. That archetype on a bad offense typically doesn’t go well, but it’s worth a stab at some point. Singletary is a fantasy RB3 because he should get carries, but this isn’t an exciting spot for him coming off a career season.
TEXANS RBS
- Houston is going to add a running back. With Derrick Henry and J.K. Dobbins still available, they have options. Dameon Pierce likely slots in as the RB2, but he fell out of favor with the coaching staff last season and it’s not out of the question that they add multiple backs in either free agency or the draft.
