The New York Giants are having a rough time this season. Sitting at 0-3, their rebuild is going to take some time. But hope abounds in Week 4; Abdul Carter looks good, Jaxson Dart is getting his first start, and Cam Skattebo has taken the RB1 job by the horns. Not bad for a class of rookies. With Tyrone Tracy Jr. out, Skattebo is the unquestioned lead back for New York. But does that make him an automatic start against a stout Chargers defense?
It’s no wonder Skattebo has endeared himself to the fans, coaching staff and players. His “run over anyone and everyone” strategy, blended with a ton of energy, has electrified the team. Skattebo has found the end zone two games in a row, and after Tracy went down with injury in Week 3, he soaked up the lion’s share of RB work. That produced some truly elite results against the Chiefs, including this hard-nosed score.
Skattebo turned 10 carries into 60 yards and that electric touchdown while catching six of eight targets for 61 yards. It was a true fantasy football RB1 week, and it leaves managers wanting more. But there is reason to be skeptical about him this week.
The 3-0 Chargers have had one of the best defenses in football through three weeks. Los Angeles has allowed only 16.7 points per game so far, putting the clamps on three straight divisional opponents. It doesn’t help that Dart is being thrown into the fire; Russell Wilson doesn’t have the most upside, but he did bring a steady hand.
With Tracy out, Skattebo essentially becomes game-script proof. If the Giants fall behind early, Skattebo will likely see increased volume in the passing game. If they stay in it, he should handle 15-20 carries. It’s also a bonus that the Chargers have allowed 5.0 yards per carry thus far, and were just gashed by J.K. Dobbins in their game last week.
Unless your team is very deep, Skattebo is a solid RB2 play or a great flex option. Priced at RB18 in DraftKings DFS contests, get him in those lineups.
