Getty Wayne Gallman Jr. #22 of the New York Giants is congratulated by teammate Elijhaa Penny #39 after scoring a touchdown
The writing has been on the wall for quite some time for New York Giants running back Wayne Gallman. The former fourth-overall pick out of Clemson showed real promise in his rookie year back in 2017. However, the arrival of all-world running back Saquon Barkley the following season and the versatile Dion Lewis this offseason, along with injuries and ball security concerns has left Gallman hanging on to a roster spot for dear life.
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Wayne Gallman to be Dealt?
Yet, if Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox’s prediction reigns true, Gallman won’t be hanging on for much longer. With big names such as Golden Tate and Evan Engram swirling in trade talks all summer, Knox ultimately landed on Gallman as the Giants player most likely to be traded before the start of the 2020 regular season.
Running back Wayne Gallman has showed some promise in his limited opportunities with the New York Giants over the past three seasons.
Gallman notably ran for 476 yards on 111 carries and caught 34 passes as a rookie in 2017. However, he also amassed 286 rushing yards over the past two seasons as a backup to wunderkind Saquon Barkley.
The Giants signed Dion Lewis in the offseason to be a pass-catching complement to Barkley, which leaves Gallman without a defined role and unlikely to see playing time.
A backfield-needy team might look at Gallman’s rookie numbers—he averaged 4.3 yards per carry and 5.7 yards per reception—and decide he deserves a significant role on its roster.
Is Gallman the Odd Man Out in NY’s Backfield?
If Gallman has one thing going for him at the moment it’s that there’s a new coaching staff in New York. The former Clemson standout clearly fell out of favor in Big Blue’s running back rotation last season, this despite some prolific showings when given the opportunity to tote the rock.
Fantasy Football owners likely remember Gallman’s brilliant Week 4 performance from last season, while filling in for an injured Saquon Barkley. The former CFB National Champion dominated, torching the now-Washington Football team for 118 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns.
However, a concussion suffered the following week led to Gallman’s eventual slide down the Giants’ depth chart. When the running back was available to return from injury, he was subsequently made a healthy scratch on numerous occasions in favor of journeyman Buck Allen.
While Allen is now out of the picture, Gallman will have new competition gunning for his job in 2020. Not only will he be competing against the aforementioned Dion Lewis, but Gallman will also have to fend off the extremely tantalizing Javon Leake. The undrafted free agent out of Maryland is a home-run threat with the football in his hands, scoring a rushing touchdown on every 8.5 carries he received.
If Leake can prove his worth on special teams, namely as a return specialist, where the Giants lost the league’s eighth-leading kick returner in football, Cody Latimer, in free agency, it may ultimately spell the end to Gallman’s Giants tenure.
With that said, Gallman’s shown enough talent as an in-between the tackles runner and a receiving option throughout his time in the league to warrant a role in someone’s backfield rotation. Whether that is in New York remains to be seen.
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