Wayne Gallman of the Giants finally getting the starting nod

Former Clemson RB Wayne Gallman finally got the starting nod for the New York Giants and he is playing at a high level so far.

When running back Wayne Gallman suited up for the Clemson Tigers from 2014-2016, he was the starter on a run-first squad. He had 514 carries his final two campaigns and totaled 2,647 yards with 30 rushing touchdowns and another 378 yards receiving.

But after being selected by the New York Football Giants in the fourth-round of the 2017 college draft, he has predominately become the invisible man on the offensive side of the ball.

Then the Giants took Penn State running back Saquon Barkley with the second overall pick in last year’s draft. Barkley would end up on the NFL’s All-Rookie Team plus was voted the league’s Rookie-of-the-Year. This achievement pressed Gallman’s touches even further down the depth chart. In 2018, he had 51 rushing attempts and caught a mere 14 passes.

Fast forward to 2019. Barkley is elected as one of the Giants’ seven team captains. After two games, the former Tiger has two carries. Then in Week 3 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, something happened late in the first half – Barkley hurt his ankle on a six-yard pass completion. The end result was that the entire second half he was on crutches.

Last week, after some tests, it was revealed that Barkley had a high ankle sprain and would be out 4-8 weeks. And just as he was thrust into the starting role with Clemson, Wayne Gallman was now the starting running back for the Giants.

Suddenly, once quiet times around his locker after practice sessions were now interview by appointment. He was swamped with questions all week and received all of the first team reps in practice. To further amp up the excitement, the Giants had just gotten their first win with newly inserted quarterback Daniel Jones orchestrating a comeback victory. That was story number one all week. Story number two, was Wayne Gallman.

He is healthy, but the biggest question posed seemed to be how he would handle the responsibility of being the starter. Normally a quiet, humble player, his days normally were mundane and effortless. Suddenly, he and Jones are the center of the Giants’ universe.

Sunday at home against a woeful Washington Redskins team, the Giants cruised to a 24-3 win and are now 2-2-0 and own a tie for second place in the NFC Eastern Division after winning two straight. Gallman had 18 carries for 63 yards and a touchdown. Blessed with soft hands, he also had six catches for 55 yards and scored yet another touchdown.

Not bad for a backup.

Of course, when Barkley returns later this year, Gallman will go back to his needlepoint at his locker instead of fielding a million questions.

However, if he has several games that display his skills the way he played against the Redskins, there is no way the Giants coaching staff can quietly sit him and insert him from time-to-time to rest Barkley. Maybe, they may even find schemes that place both running backs on the field at the same time. Each are very good blockers and mutually excellent receiving abilities.

So far, Gallman has been much underrated as an offensive player. He sits in a very dark shadow that runs by the name of Barkley, but is a solid and well-rounded back in the NFL. He is also a guy you need to feed all game and give him as many snaps as possible. He will get you the dirty yards. The Giants were lucky that he was sitting and waiting his turn to shine against Washington, and shine he did.

But for now, if you are able to catch a Giants game, check in on the former Tiger. He is trying to prove that the franchise has more than one playmaker. And if you happen to play NFL fantasy football, he will be this week’s “most claimed” player.