Tag: Tyrone Tracy

Fantasy Football waiver wire: 12 running backs to target in Week 6

These 12 running backs should be waiver wire targets in your fantasy football league this week.

As we wait for tonight’s Monday Night Football showdown between the Chiefs and Saints to wrap up Week 5, fantasy football managers are already considering their waiver wire options for next week.

The top option at wide receiver this week is Josh Downs (35%). Zach Ertz (49%) is a quality tight end option, and quarterback Kirk Cousins (46%) is coming off a huge game on Thursday Night Football last week. 

Today, though, we’re focusing on running back. We’ve put together a quick list of 12 running backs to target on the fantasy football waiver wire ahead of Week 6. If you’re looking for reinforcements at RB, consider these options.

Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Running Backs

1. RB Tank Bigsby (10%): Bigsby got more carries (13) than Travis Etienne (six) and he rushed for 101 yards and two touchdowns while Etienne ended the day with just 17 rushing yards. Etienne remains an option in PPR formats after hauling in six catches, but Bigsby played one more snap in Week 5 and he could emerge as the team’s new RB1.

2. RB Tyrone Tracy (19%): Devin Singletary missed Sunday’s game with a groin injury and Tracy stepped up, rushing 18 times for 129 yards. That kind of production should signal more opportunities going forward. 

3. RB Braelon Allen (42%): Allen (and the entire Jets offense) struggled on Sunday, but he’s still taking away touches from Breece Hall. Allen is an important handcuff with standalone flex value when New York has better matchups. 

4. RB Tyler Allgeier (43%): Another important handcuff with standalone value, Allgeier got nine touches this week, eating into the workload of Bijan Robinson (15 touches). 

5. RB Ty Chandler (35%): Aaron Jones left Sunday’s game with a hip injury and Chandler took over RB1 duties after that. The Vikings have a bye this week, but if Jones misses any games, Chandler will be an important pickup. 

6. RB Roschon Johnson (12%): D’Andre Swift (21 carries, two targets) remains Chicago’s top running back, but Johnson got 10 carries this week and he scored twice on the ground. He’s worth flex consideration. 

7. RB Jaylen Wright (8%): De’Von Achane suffered a concussion on Sunday, which led to 13 carries for 86 yards for Wright. Raheem Mostert (63%) seems to be the RB1 when Achane is unavailable (he got 19 carries this week), but Wright could remain fantasy relevant if Achane misses any games. Miami has a bye this week. 

8. RB Trey Sermon (50%): Jonathan Taylor missed this week’s game with an ankle injury and Sermon got the nod in his place. Sermon rushed 10 times for 38 yards and a touchdown while adding six catches for 25 yards. If Taylor misses any more games, Sermon is a serviceable fill-in at RB. 

9. RB Alexander Mattison (41%): Zamir White missed Sunday’s game with a groin injury, but even if he hadn’t, coach Antonio Pierce had previously hinted that the Raiders planned to make changes at running back. Mattison led the team with 15 carries in Week 5 and he also drew three targets.

10. RB Ameer Abdullah (1%): Mattison was the Raiders’ starter on Sunday, but Abdullah arguably looked like the team’s best running back. The veteran turned five carries into 42 yards and a touchdown and he also caught all three of his targets. Abdullah is worth a look in deeper leagues. 

11. RB Audric Estime (1%): Estime is eligible to return from injured reserve this week and the Broncos have left a spot open for him on the 53-man roster. Estime could quickly earn a role in Denver’s backfield. 

12. RB Keaton Mitchell (4%): Mitchell (ACL) was eligible to return last week, but Ravens coach John Harbaugh said he’s yet ready to return to practice. Mitchell might still be worth stashing on your IR spot if it’s open.

Bonus: Nick Chubb (79%), Kareem Hunt (72%), Jonathon Brooks (63%) and Bucky Irving (58%) are already rostered in most leagues, but double check just to make sure they’re not still available in your league. 

Roster percentages for players listed in this article were sourced from ESPN. For more fantasy coverage, check out our fantasy football hub.

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Seahawks lose 29-20 in a frustrating game to the New York Giants

Seahawks lose 29-20 in a frustrating game to the New York Giants

There’s a reason for the old adage “any given Sunday” when it comes to the NFL. In this league, there are no “gimmies.” Unfortunately, this was a hard lesson the Seattle Seahawks had to re-learn, as the New York Giants embarrassed them in their own home to the tune of 29-20.

The Giants flat-out dominated the Seahawks from start to finish. There is simply no other way to put it. While the final score may not be indicative of a blowout, what transpired on the field was anything but competitive. New York had the clear advantage in total yards (420 to 333), first downs (24 to 17), offensive plays (71 to 58), and time of possession (37:22 to 22:38).

In fact, the only reason why this game appeared within reach was because the Seahawks had a 102-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown in the first quarter to take a 7-0 lead. After that, Seattle did next to nothing. Without the defensive touchdown, the Seahawks were outscored 29-13.

This was a particularly humiliating day for Seattle’s defense, as a Giants team without Malik Nabers or Devin Singletary marched up and down the field. The much-maligned Daniel Jones completed 23-of-34 passes for 257 yards and two touchdowns. Meanwhile, backup running back Tyrone Tracy had 129 yards on the ground out of New York’s 175 total as a team. Getting starters Leonard Williams, Julian Love, Jerome Baker and Uchenna Nwosu (who left with a thigh injury) did little to improve the play on the field.

As for Seattle’s offense, they simply could not get anything going. Geno Smith was fine, all things considered, when he wasn’t being sacked seven times. It was a particularly brutal day for offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb, who seemed to forget Kenneth Walker III is healthy. On the day, Walker touched the ball a whopping 5 times for 19 yards.

The Seahawks finally did find the end zone when Smith hit Jaxon Smith-Njigba for a five-yard score with 2:09 left to play. After forcing a punt from the Giants, Seattle was in a position to kick a game-tying field goal with 65 seconds left in the game. It was not to be, as New York blocked Jason Myers’ field goal and returned it 60 yards for a touchdown to officially put the game out of reach.

Like I said, there are no “gimmies” in this league but certain games are much more winnable than others. Facing the previously one-win New York Giants at home definitely counts as more than winnable. This was a brutal game to drop, as the Seahawks will be taking the field once more this week on Thursday night to face the San Francisco 49ers.

Speaking of which, the silver lining for Seattle is at least the 49ers lost as well. They were also upset by a previously one-win team, as the Arizona Cardinals stole a 24-23 win in Santa Clara. The Seahawks will remain in first place in the NFC West, at least for a few more days. If they want to stay in first after Thursday Night Football, they have a lot to clean up in a not a whole lot of time to do so.

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Tyrone Tracy now known as ‘Paul Pierce’ in Giants locker room

New York Giants rookie running back Tyrone Tracy has earned a new nickname after his scary injury and quick recovery — “Paul Pierce.”

The New York Giants had a gut-wrenching moment during training camp last week when rookie running back Tyrone Tracy went down with an ankle injury.

Tracy has never had any major injuries or even surgery, and he described it as a “scary” moment.

“It was definitely something scary,” Tracy told reporters on Tuesday. “The doctors took precautionary actions. So, I didn’t know what was wrong. They didn’t directly know what was wrong. They just did what they thought was right in the moment.”

Tracy rolled his ankle during practice and was carted off the field with an air cast on. Everyone anticipated the worst as he went off to the hospital for scans and further evaluation.

When that was done and they learned the injury was not major, Tracy insisted they head right back to meetings.

“We were back after everything at the hospital. We were back in meetings fairly quick. It was really just because I didn’t want to miss meetings. I didn’t want to miss any information that was going in,” he said.

As a rookie, Tracy knows that he will fall behind if he misses too much information. He didn’t want that to happen, so he rushed back.

Tracy’s speedy return led his teammates to dub him “Paul Pierce,” the Boston Celtics forward who left the court in a wheelchair during the NBA finals in 2008 only to return on his feet a few minutes later.

“They were pretty hyped for me when I was coming in. A lot of the folks around the building started calling me Paul Pierce,” he said. “They said I pulled a Paul Pierce. But it’s all good. I know there is very genuine love around the building and I’m happy to be here, for real.”

Tracy had five carries for 26 yards against the Lions and is set to play on Saturday against the New York Jets.

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Tyrone Tracy on his role with Giants: ‘I’m here to play football’

Tyrone Tracy isn’t worried about the business side of the NFL, noting that his role with the New York Giants is to simply play football.

The New York Giants entered the 2024 NFL draft seeking out players who could help them both build their roster and enhance their culture.

So when they selected Purdue’s soon-to-be 25-year-old everyman, running back/receiver Tyrone Tracy Jr. in the fifth round, fans began to piece together the mindset.

“Some of these guys are older, too, relative to what people have been through the past few years, I would say, COVID and all those other things,” Giants head coach Brian Daboll said after the draft.

“Some guys are a little bit older. He’s a former receiver. In terms of yards per carry, he’s been pretty good. He’s an athlete who has played receiver and then played running back and has some good production. We’ll throw him in the mix. Whether that’s in the kickoff return game or whether that’s at running back or the receiving part of it, we’ve got to do a good job of getting him in here and seeing where he’s at and then trying to fit him into the things that he can do well.”

Tracy was the first of the Giants’ six draft picks to sign his rookie deal, which was completed this week. He sloughed that off and revealed the real reason why he is here.

“I’m here to play football,” Tracy said. “I’m not really worried about the business side of it. If I do what I do on the football field, everything else will come.”

Tracy believes he could not have landed in a better place. The Giants are entering the post-Saquon Barkley era with a committee approach at running back. He feels he’s a good fit with his skill set.

“I think it’s a huge advantage,” he said regarding his versatility. “The league now is turning toward more of a passing league within the running back game. If you’re a running back in this NFL today, you have to be able to run the ball well and also catch the ball out of the backfield. So, it’s really good that I can do both and I have the receiver background.”

Tracy figures to help out on special teams, where he has extensive experience as a returner.

“It kind of added a little bit more value to me and really the rest of running backs because that’s something we can place in our bag and do on the field and add to our skillset,” Tracy said. “I was pretty happy, to say the least.”

All in all, the young man from Indianapolis is glad to be Giant.

“For me to actually be on an NFL team, be on a roster,” Tracy said, “it means more to me than people know.”

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Giants officially sign 8 undrafted rookies, waive Deon Jackson

The New York Giants have signed eight undrafted rookie free agents and waived/injured running back Deon Jackson.

The New York Giants open rookie minicamp with the first of two practices on Friday, which also means some roster tinkering is a must.

The team officially announced the signing of eight undrafted rookie free agents along with several other transactions.

Seven of the eight undrafted free agents signed to the 90-man roster are as follows:

  • WR Ayir Asante (Wyoming)
  • WR John Jiles (West Florida)
  • DB Alex Johnson (UCLA)
  • OT Marcellus Johnson (Missouri)
  • G Jake Kubas (North Dakota State)
  • DE Ovie Oghoufo (LSU)
  • DL Casey Rogers (Oregon)

The Giants also announced the signing of international kicker Jude McAtamney (Rutgers), who was given a roster exemption.

Other roster moves include the signing of fifth-round running back Tyrone Tracy Jr., who had agreed to terms on his rookie deal on Thursday.

Finally, running back Deon Jackson was waived/injured. He will revert to injured reserve (IR) in 24 hours.

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Giants sign fifth-round pick Tyrone Tracy Jr.

The New York Giants have signed fifth-round pick Tyrone Tracy Jr. to his rookie contract.

The New York Giants signed the first member of their 2024 draft class on Thursday, coming to terms with running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. on the eve of the team’s rookie minicamp.

Tracy, a running back who began his college career as a wide receiver, was selected out of Purdue in the fifth round (No. 166 overall) in this year’s NFL draft.

Several experts have identified Tracy as a Day 3 draft steal for the Giants.

The terms of Tracy’s standard four-year rookie deal were not disclosed and he is now under contract through the 2027 season.

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2024 NFL draft: Giants’ class ranked fourth-most impactful

CBS Sports ranks the New York Giants’ class from the 2024 NFL draft as a the fourth-most impactful in the league.

The New York Giants’ 2024 draft class has already received praise on an individual level. Each player added was considered a solid decision, with Malik Nabers and Tyrone Tracy specifically receiving the most praise because of their expected impact.

But what about the whole of the Giants’ draft class? How impactful will they all be? CBS Sports ranked the impact of each team’s draft class, and the Giants landed with the fourth most impactful.

Impactful rookies: WR Malik Nabers, S Tyler Nubin, CB Andru Phillips, RB Tyrone Tracy, LB Darius Muasau

All five of these first-year pros will likely be leaned upon in 2024 and have the athleticism to thrive in their specific roles. Nabers was my WR1 in this class. After he learns the full route tree, look out. He’ll be able to do it all at receiver. Nubin’s average-at-best workout scares me a bit, but his film as a ball-hawking free safety can’t simply be ignored. Phillips has elite explosiveness traits at cornerback — and can play inside if needed. Tracy has free-wheeling cutting skills and, as a former receiver, will be part of what the Giants want to do out of the backfield in the pass game.

Muasau gave me Matt Milano vibes on film regarding his instincts and hair-on-fire style. There’s some upside as a coverage type too because of how fluidly he flips his hips.

It’s no secret that Nabers and Tracy will be utilized early and often, even with Tracy’s need for further development at running back. Devin Singleterry is going to need help and Tracy has already proven to have the football IQ to have an impact in Year 1.

The Giants’ 2024 draft class was pretty spot on with what the team needed to add. Hopefully, all of this potential we’re seeing, the anticipated impact of these players, and what they bring to the table, will translate into actual results on the field.

The three teams ranked above the Giants are the Washington Commanders (1), Arizona Cardinals (2), and Green Bay Packers (3).

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The hype train continues for Giants rookie RB Tyrone Tracy Jr.

New York Giants running back Tyrone Tracy has been named a rookie who could make an instant impact.

The New York Giants made six selections in the 2024 NFL draft. Some of the choices were obvious and filled immediate needs and others were based on value and guilty pleasures.

One pick — fifth-rounder Tyrone Tracy Jr., a wide receiver turned running back from Purdue by way of Iowa — is being called a sleeper pick by some experts.

Marcus Mosher of The 33rd Team has also identified Tracy as a rookie who can make an instant impact.

Tracy started his career with the Iowa Hawkeyes, appearing in 38 games as a wide receiver. But after modest production, he transferred to Purdue and started five games at receiver (2022). Ahead of the 2023 season, Tracy transitioned to running back, which likely saved his career. In his first year playing the position, Tracy led the Big Ten in yards per carry (6.3) and scored eight rushing touchdowns.

While Tracy isn’t ready to be a full-time running back (146 career carries in college), he is an incredible athlete who is a threat to score on any play. He posted a 9.78 RAS score, which ranks 42nd all-time (out of 1,903 running backs) after posting a 40-inch vertical jump at 209 pounds.

Tracy will be in a mix with veteran Devin Singletary and second-year back Eric Gray in a committee that will try to help Giant fans move on from Saquon Barkley.

“Now, he’s not going to fill Saquon’s shoes for that offense, but Tracy is an ultra-smooth runner with good vision,” writes Frank Cooney of NFL Draft Scout. “He’s going to surprise and impress the more touches he gets and can be a nice piece for this offense.”

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Tyrone Tracy named Giants’ best sleeper pick in 2024 NFL draft

The versatile Tyrone Tracy has been tabbed as the New York Giants’ best sleeper pick in the 2024 NFL draft by Touchdown Wire.

The New York Giants made six selections in the 2024 NFL draft, starting with LSU wide receiver Malik Nabers in Round 1.

Nabers figures to follow in the footsteps of the the other great wideouts to come out of Baton Rouge in recent years such as Odell Beckham Jr., Ja’Marr Chase, and Justin Jefferson.

But the Giants may have stumbled on another productive player in their fifth-round selection, Purdue running back Tyrone Tracy Jr., whom TouchdownWire’s Doug Farrar calls the sleeper of this Giants’ draft class.

With Saquon Barkley out of the picture, the Giants had a pre-draft running back rotation of Devin Singletary, 2023 fifth-round pick Eric Gray, and a bunch of “meh” after that. Which means that anyone coming in from the draft would have an opportunity beyond the preseason.

Enter Purdue running back Tyrone Tracy Jr., who at 5′ 11⅛” and 209 pounds, totaled 714 yards, eight touchdowns, 46 forced missed tackles, 14 carries of 15 or more yards, and 36 first downs on just 114 carries. That put Tracy with a yards per carry average of 6.3 — another arbiter of his big-play potential and ability to run with power. Tracy can also catch the ball. In fact, before he was a running back at Purdue, he was a receiver at Iowa, and he actually made big plays in that garbage fire of an offense. Not bad for a guy who was there with the 166th overall pick in the fifth round.

Tracy will have an opportunity to play several roles for the Giants on offense and special teams. The biggest plus, however, is his versatility as a receiver, which hasn’t gotten past head coach Brian Daboll.

“He’s a former receiver. In terms of yards per carry, he’s been pretty good,” Daboll said. “He’s an athlete who has played receiver and then played running back and has some good production. We’ll throw him in the mix. Whether that’s in the kickoff return game or whether that’s at running back or the receiving part of it, we’ve got to do a good job of getting him in here and seeing where he’s at and then trying to fit him into the things that he can do well.”

In the post-Saquon Barley age, the Giants could use some immediate answers in their backfield. It looks like they may have found one.

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Giants rookie Tyrone Tracy named one of 2024 NFL draft’s best picks

The New York Giants’ selection of RB Tyrone Tracy in the 2024 NFL draft has been ranked as one of the draft’s best picks.

In the fifth round of the 2024 NFL draft, the New York Giants selected Tyrone Tracy with the 166th overall pick. He first played four years as a wide receiver with the Iowa Hawkeyes before transitioning to running back when he transferred to Purdue University.

Athletic and versatile, Tracy could be the weapon the Giants need in 2024.

ESPN’s Field Yates seems to agree. He recently ranked his top five picks in each round of the draft, and Tracy made the cut for the fifth round. Yates said he considered not just where the players were drafted, but what they bring to the team, their overall value, and how they will fit with their new team, among other things.

Tracy is a fun player to study, as he was a wide receiver for four seasons at Iowa before transferring to Purdue and playing two years as a running back. That versatility could easily lead to early opportunities for the Giants, especially given the team’s thin backfield behind new starter Devin Singletary. Tracy ran for eight TDs last season.

Prior to running for eight touchdowns with Purdue, he recorded just two rushing touchdowns and five receiving touchdowns over five seasons. The transition from receiver to running back wasn’t just a good decision for Purdue, it was a good decision for Tracy’s career.

After playing for two Division I schools, dealing with the transfer portal, and changing positions, Tracy is more than ready to transition to the NFL.

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