Make New York Post a Preferred Source All you need is … Skattebo.
It seems appropriate that rookie Jeremiyah Love — one of the apples of the Giants’ eye during the 2026 NFL Draft — is coming to town with the Cardinals at the end of a week in which head coach John Harbaugh referenced “Here Comes the Sun” and named Paul McCartney as his favorite member of The Beatles.
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But Cam Skattebo isn’t out to prove that the Giants didn’t need Love in a head-to-head matchup of the running back that they are featuring and the one they likely would have drafted had he been available two picks later.
“Outperforming [Love] is not in my vision,” said Skattebo, who tallied 100 yards from scrimmage last game. “I want to outperform myself from last week. I’m not worried about any other running backs or anybody else on the field. I’m worried about me, my production, making sure that I’m doing the right things. I had a couple missed assignments last week, so I’m going to take the blame for that.”
The Giants haven’t hid their predraft love for Love (No. 3 pick), who is believed to have been ranked in the top three on their board with quarterback Fernando Mendoza (No. 1) and their own pick, linebacker Arvell Reese (No. 5).
A tough pill to swallow for the running-back-devaluation crowd still hung up on the Giants drafting Saquon Barkley at No. 2 in 2018.
“That he was great,” Harbaugh said matter-of-factly. “Fast. Tough. Had great hands. Could line up as a wide receiver. Good in pass protection. Impossible to tackle, it seemed like.”
Cam Skattebo talks to the media during Giants practice at the Quest Diagnostics center on Oct. 1, 2026. Corey Sipkin for New York Post Running backs coach Willie Taggart never allowed himself to dream about the possibility of a Skattebo-Love backfield. Skattebo was recovering from surgery on a fractured tibia that cut short his rookie season.
“I was excited about coaching the guys we have here,” Taggart said. “Didn’t get much from Skatt during OTAs around that time because he still was recovering.”
And maybe that uncertainty played into the heavy scouting of Love, who is averaging 3.9 yards per carry with 204 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns over three games. Skattebo has been the Giants’ workhorse so far, though August addition Najee Harris is beginning to require more touches.
The Giants and John Harbaugh did not hide that they were interested in Cardinals rookie running back Jeremiyah Love who was drafted by the Cardinals with the No. 3 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Getty Images Especially if Skattebo doesn’t correct a sudden fumbling problem (three, none lost).
“I actually had the ball high and tight when I got it punched out,” Skattebo said of his last fumble. “Just being cognizant of, when throwing three or four stiff arms, you have to understand when someone’s going to come and punch the ball out. I think maybe after the second stiff arm next time, I’ll probably tuck the ball and get north and south.”
The Cardinals are averaging 127.7 yards per game allowed on the ground.
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“Come out here on the practice field, fix those things, and then when I go against the Cardinals, I’m going to get everything right and do everything right,” Skattebo said. “I’m not looking for any competition from offense on offense. I’m trying to play against their defense, and that’s what I’m focused on.”
