Tyrone Tracy Jr. wasn’t benched, but last year’s rookie starter might find himself in a backfield timeshare. 

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Tracy’s unusual role Sunday in a loss to the Cowboys — returning kickoffs for the first time since Sept, 26. 2024, not starting at running back and garnering only five carries to Cam Skattebo’s 11 — left the door open to wondering if he was paying some price for comments made last week that the Giants should have run the ball more often in the red zone during a Week 1 loss to the Commanders. 

“No,” head coach Brian Daboll said when asked if Tracy’s role was the result of team discipline. “Tracy had a number of kickoff returns [five for 132 yards] that I thought … you give him a break off of there. We thought we could get the ball in his hands a few more times. They weren’t kicking it to Gunner [Olszewski], they were kicking it to Tracy, and he had some good kickoff returns for us.” 

Devin Singletary started in place of Tracy, who blocked for Olszewski’s 67-yard return (called back by penalty) on the opening kickoff.

Singletary played only three more snaps through overtime. 

Skattebo carried for a first down on the third offensive snap before Tracy got the ball on each of the next four plays, including one called back by penalty.

As the game progressed, Skattebo played more snaps (35-28) and outrushed (45-15 yards) Tracy and scored a 1-yard touchdown. 

“Thought Skat was running good,” Daboll said. “That could be a week-to-week deal.” 

Fantasy football managers, beware. 

“We have three guys who we can use, and if we think one is running pretty good or feeling it we’ll get it to him,” Daboll said. “And if not, we’ll use all three of them. I have confidence in all three of those guys.” 

Daboll said the Giants had “a number of people getting looked at” for injuries. 

The group presumably includes LBs Chris Board (chest) and Darius Muasau (concussion), as well as LG Jon Runyan Jr., who told The Athletic after the game that he felt a “crack” in his back on the opening drive but played through it.

Runyan had a postgame X-ray taken. 

The Giants finished the game with practice-squad elevation LB Swayne Bozeman — who joined the team after training camp — playing with the first-team defense. 

There have been 18 field goals converted from 61 yards or longer in the NFL since 2017. 

In a 32-team league, the Giants somehow have been on the wrong end of four of those (22.2 percent) big blasts.

All were at the buzzer to win or tie a game. 

No other team has been on the wrong end of more than two (Vikings, Eagles). 

S Tyler Nubin logged an insane 106 snaps between defense and special teams, followed closely by S Jevon Holland’s 98. 

“That’s not common,” Holland said. 

Holland pinned some detail-oriented mistakes late in the game on “fatigue.” 

“Being in those moments when you’re that tired and your brain is not functioning as it was when you’re fresh,” he added. “So that’s why I say, ‘Fall to the level of your training.’”