Devontae

Booker

Pro Football Network’s Aaron Wilson noted that no signing is imminent. Booker played for the Giants in 2021, starting four games while Saquon Barkley was injured, but the team released him from his relatively inexpensive contract after the draft. He totaled 593 yards and two scores on 145 carries last year. A capable backup or third-string option, Booker could find his way back to New York if the team doesn’t like their depth at the position after another week of camp.

Booker, 30 in May, joins fellow veteran TE Kyle Rudolph as Wednesday cuts for new Giants GM Joe Schoen, who is making it a point to trim the fat ex-GM Dave Gettleman left behind. Booker has had a productive past two seasons for the Raiders and Giants, but he’s one-and-done in New York after posting 145-593-2 on the ground for the G-Men last season as Saquon Barkley’s backup and injury replacement. Booker’s release saves the Giants $2.125 million against the salary cap.

A warm body behind Saquon Barkley, Booker started four games in Barkley’s absence and took on bigger workloads down the stretch as the G-Men tried to close their eyes and hide their passing “attack.” Booker was actually more efficient than Barkley on both a per-rush and per-catch basis this season, but we would not read too much into that in this talent-bereft offense. Four months shy of his 30th birthday, Booker is signed cheaply for 2022. Even if the Giants make changes at coach and general manager, he could be kept around for his $2 million salary.

The Giants completely gave up on the passing game after the first two drives, and that led to a lot of carries for Booker and Saquon Barkley. Both Giants running backs rotated in and out all afternoon long, although Barkley had slightly more carries before the game got totally out of hand. Regardless, it’s tough to trust Booker as a committee back on the worst offense in football right now. Mike Glennon has been disastrous, and it seems like the Giants’ coaching staff is just trying to get through the season.

Booker was surprisingly effective against the Cowboys the inadequacies that plagued the rest of the Giants’ offense. His biggest play was a 31-yard scamper down the right sideline in the first quarter. Saquon Barkley had 15 carries and eight targets to Booker’s eight and two, respectively, but both players saw the field a fair amount. Still, Booker remains a mere insurance policy for Barkley managers at the moment.

Booker caught his only target for five yards. With Saquon Barkley back from his ankle injury, playing in his first game since Week 5, Booker went back to clear RB2 duties. Barkley out-carried Booker 6-3 and out-targeted him 6-1 in a game that quickly got away from the Giants, forcing them to abandon the run. Booker is merely a fantasy bench stash in the event of another Barkley injury.

Saquon Barkley is likely to return this week, which will have Booker operating in a committee role at best, but likely in a reserve role. Booker could also miss the game entirely, which would likely mean a workhorse role for Barkley. Booker will need Barkley inactive to have any path to fantasy value in Week 11.

Booker injured the hip in Week 9’s win over the Raiders and it’s somewhat disconcerting for fantasy managers that it’s still an issue after the bye week. Booker has a path to real value this week if Saquon Barkley can’t suit up, but between his own hip injury and Saquon’s healing ankle, it’s looking unlikely that Booker will find that path before Monday night.

Booker added three catches for 23 yards. After the game, Booker told reporters that he felt great and thought he was going to return to the game before it ended. It sounds like he was fine following the team listing him as questionable to return due to the hip issue. The Giants are entering their bye week, after which Saquon Barkley is expected to return. Booker will be relegated to a backup role once that happens. If Barkley is unable to suit up, Booker, who has no fewer than 16 touches in his four starts sans Barkley, will slot in as an RB2 option in Week 11.

Booker was over 100 yards before getting dropped behind the line of scrimmage on what could be his final play of the game. He walked off the field under his own power and then left for the locker room. Booker left when the Giants had a four-point lead with just a few minutes remaining. If the Raiders don’t put points on the board, Elijhaa Penny will salt the game away. The Giants get a bye next week and then Saquon Barkley is slated to return, pushing Booker back to the bench.