Orleans

Darkwa

Darkwa is back to full health after tearing his Achilles’ last October while working out for Jacksonville. Cleveland has Nick Chubb and Duke Johnson currently set to open the season atop the depth chart with Kareem Hunt suspended. Behind them, it’s Dontrell Hilliard, Trayone Gray, and D’Ernest Johnson.

Darkwa suffered a torn Achilles’ during a work out with the Jaguars in October. Schefter posted a video of Darkwa changing directions and going through a drill at full speed, confirming he is at least near full strength. Back healthy, Darkwa should latch on somewhere.

The injury happened the day after he worked out for the Jaguars and helps explain why he spent the year out of the league. Darkwa said he is progressing well in his rehab, and he is expected to be ready by the time OTAs roll around. He likely will need to prove his health before he earns a deal.

Darkwa is one of the better free agent backs out there, but he has struggled for workouts. His Jacksonville visit could be an indication the Jags expect Leonard Fournette to miss multiple games with his latest hamstring pull.

Andre Williams got the boot on Saturday as the Giants trimmed the roster to 53, and Darkwa survived as the favorite for carries behind Jennings. Darkwa had a big preseason finale and showed some juice last season in limited action, posting a 35-153-1 rushing line and averaging 4.3 YPC. Unlike last year, the Giants are expected to lean on Jennings instead of using a committee.

The injury won’t keep him out of training camp, but is a setback to his roster chances. Darkwa and Andre Williams are competing for one spot.

The G-Men employed a stunningly ineffective committee for the majority of 2015 before leaning on Jennings down the stretch. Jennings got the ball 86 times over New York’s final four games, creating 521 yards from scrimmage. For the season, he averaged a healthy 4.4 yards per carry. Jennings is 31 with a bit of an injury history, but he’s currently a dirt cheap RB2 in fantasy drafts.

Those five running backs would be Rashad Jennings, Andre Williams, Shane Vereen, Paul Perkins and Orleans Darkwa. The first four are locks while Darkwa and fullback Nikita Whitlock seem to be battling for one spot. Darkwa has only played nine snaps on offense this preseason but has played a pivotal role on special teams. If Darkwa makes the team over Whitlock, the Giants would likely use one of their tight ends at the fullback position.

Beat writer Jordan Raanan still expects Vereen to be New York’s Week 3 lead back, but Darkwa is a sneaky bet for goal-line work and should also handle 9-13 carries off the bench. Raanan leaves the door open for “maybe a slight infusion of Bobby Rainey and Paul Perkins.” Vereen is a strong RB2 play in PPR leagues. Darkwa is worth a look if you’re desperate for a flex play.

He added a nine-yard reception. True to the pre-game speculation, Darkwa split touches with Shane Vereen, though Vereen played 14 more snaps. Vereen put the ball on the ground twice this afternoon, so perhaps Darkwa will get more work should Rashad Jennings remain sidelined for Week 4. Either way, Darkwa will be a tough sell as an RB3.