Giants show off their running back depth in impressive win over Jets

Perhaps what the Giants lack in star power at running back they make up for in depth. 

Might they have three, or four, capable players to work out of the backfield to take the pressure off quarterback Jaxson Dart? 

Cam Skattebo took his place on the sideline with most of the starters, including Dart, for Friday night’s preseason-ending 23-6 victory over the Jets at MetLife Stadium. Veteran Devin Singletary also was held out. That left the running back duties in the first half to Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Najee Harris. It was the Giants debut for Harris, who signed Aug. 18 as a free agent. He tore his Achilles in Week 4 last season playing for the Chargers and has been impressive in practice during his brief time with his new team. 

Harris produced four consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons for the Steelers in his first four years in the NFL. The bruising runner, all 242 pounds of him, looks to be in fine shape and just like that, he should be a viable option for the offense in Week 1. 

Harris, 28, was strong right from the get-go of his first preseason game with the Giants. On the second series, he ran it up the middle for 4 yards and then took a pitchout and scooted for 9 yards. He added another 9-yard run before the first quarter concluded. Harris finished with 11 carries for 39 yards. 

“He hadn’t played for a full season, almost a whole season, so to see him out there, thought he looked good,’’ head coach John Harbaugh said. “That is what we wanted to do, we wanted to get him a lot of reps, we wanted Tracy to get a lot of reps, too, and he did.’’ 

Tracy started, and if ever a player needed to come up with an impressive showing, it was him. He was doing just that until he went down after an 8-yard gain with 7:22 remaining in the second quarter. Tracy stayed down, flat on his back, for several minutes, with teammates gathered nearby. He cleared concussion protocol and came away with a stinger. 

Tracy (4-37) had a 16-yard run and a 6-yard burst for a touchdown late in the first quarter. The third-year running back has had an uneven summer. He missed a blitz pickup in the preseason opener that got Dart crushed. In the second preseason game, he lost the ball on a fumble against the Dolphins. Tracy entered training camp as the No. 2 back behind Skattebo, but the addition of Harris changed the dynamic in the running back room. 

In their final game action until the real thing, the Giants got what they wanted to see from Odell Beckham Jr. The 33-year-old wide receiver flashed some of his vintage route-running form, easily getting open against Jets backup defensive backs. 

Harbaugh decided to keep Dart safe on the sideline. He played in the preseason-opening loss to the Vikings. That was Aug. 15. The first regular-season game is Sept. 13. So, it will be nearly one full month between actual game action for the second-year quarterback. Yes, he excelled in a spirited joint practice with the Dolphins in the heat of Miami Gardens, Fla. No, that is not a reasonable facsimile of the real thing. 

Harbaugh admitted he took “the more conservative route’’ and that “any criticism of it, I do understand’’ based on how infrequently Dart and the starters saw live game action. 

“The concern is they won’t have played in a game for a long time,’’ Harbaugh said. “Will there be a rust factor?’’ 

As for Dart, Harbaugh said, “We’ll have to make sure the practices are the kind of practices that put pressure on him as much as possible, as game-like as we possibly can make them so he’ll be ready to go.’’ 

Once again, Jameis Winston started at quarterback. Beckham went to his knees for a 13-yard reception and then broke open deep down the middle of the field for a 23-yard pickup. He finished with three receptions for 53 yards but missed on the big one. He broke wide open on a deep route and should have had a 73-yard touchdown reception. Winston’s pass was slightly wide, and Beckham, diving, got both hands on the ball but failed to make the grab. 

Beckham looked to be the No. 7 wide receiver, which would have made it difficult for him to make the roster, but the season-ending knee injury to Calvin Austin III opened a spot that Beckham is likely to fill. 

“I would answer the question, yes, I think he has done enough to make an NFL roster for sure,’’ Harbaugh said. “He’s played well, and he’s gotten better as camp’s gone along.’’