Three RBs the Giants should consider pairing with Devin Singletary

Despite already agreeing to terms with Devin Singletary, the New York Giants are in the market for another running back to help compensate for Saquon Barkley's departure, according to ESPN's Jordan Raanan.

Singletary, who rushed for a career-high 898 yards with Houston last season, is expected to be New York's lead back, so the team isn't interested in spending heavily on a backup. 

Although many RBs have found new homes, there are still several players at the position who the Giants could acquire this offseason with skill sets that would complement Singletary's strengths. 

With that in mind, here are three players the Giants should consider adding this offseason to pair with Singletary. 

Ezekiel Elliott, free agent

Considering Singletary is more of a speedy and elusive back, signing a bruiser might make the most sense for a committee approach. The Giants have plenty of history with Elliott, dating back to his seven seasons with their NFC East rival Cowboys, during which he took home the NFL rushing title twice. 

There's no denying that the 28-year-old is past his prime, and it's impossible to ignore that his average yards per carry has declined in each of the last three seasons. However, Elliott remains capable of being effective in short-yardage and goal-line situations. 

Last season, Elliott played in 17 games for the Patriots, amassing 955 yards from scrimmage and scoring five total touchdowns.

Spotrac's calculated market value projects Elliott to ink a one-year, $2.78M deal this offseason based on past comparable free-agent running back acquisitions. 

As long as he can maintain nearly the same level of production that he achieved in 2023, signing Elliott at that price would be worth exploring for New York. 

J.K. Dobbins, free agent 

Dobbins' make-or-break contract year came to a premature end before he could even finish a game in 2023, as the oft-injured back suffered a season-ending Achilles tear in Week 1. Since being drafted in 2020, Dobbins has only played in 24 career games, including 10 starts, which makes him an obvious risk for any team to gamble on.

Even so, since Dobbins will likely sign a one-year deal worth around the league minimum, the Giants should at least consider bringing him in for training camp. It might be a long shot, but if he can return to looking more like his 2022 self, Dobbins could prove to be a valuable addition to New York's backfield.

As pointed out by Pro Football Network's Jason Katz, Dobbins was incredibly efficient in a limited role two seasons ago. Although the Ohio State product only had 92 carries, he averaged the ninth-most yards per touch in the NFL while posting a 43.4% evaded tackles per touch rate, the second-best mark among running backs.

Braelon Allen, Wisconsin

If the Giants ultimately decide none of the remaining free-agent running backs are worth adding, they could always turn to the 2024 NFL Draft. Even though there aren't any blue-chip prospects at the position in this year's class, this could work to New York's advantage as it can get quality talent at a reasonable cost.

Allen — Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN's seventh-ranked running back — would be an ideal selection for the Giants, especially since he's one of the youngest players in the draft. 

The 6-foot-1, 235-pounder is a physical downhill runner who has impressive vision and patience. These traits would surely come in handy playing behind a Giants offensive line that has its share of concerns despite improving on paper.

Across his three seasons with the Badgers, Allen rushed for 3,494 yards and 35 touchdowns. In light of his lackluster performance at the NFL Scouting Combine, perhaps New York can scoop Allen up in the fourth round, where it holds the No. 107 overall pick.