Cam Skattebo ‘punished’ with zero touches after Week 5 fumble

Cam Skattebo fumbled in overtime to end a New York Giants drive against the Washington Commanders in Week 5. In a clear example of cause and effect, Skattebo did not get a single carry this week. He was not targeted in the passing game either.Let’s get one thing straight though. Cam Skattebo was not benched. He was on the field for six plays and as coach Jim Harbaugh explained to the press, the complete lack of touches was “not by design.” MORE: Giants face tough QB decision after J.J. McCarthy’s huge 4th quarterJohn Harbaugh says “we didn’t bench Cam Skattebo” and it “wasn’t by design” that the Giants RB had zero carries today after recent fumbles. https://t.co/WeiYToCWl4— Jori Epstein (@JoriEpstein) October 18, 2026J.J. McCarthy ended up being the team’s leading rusher on Sunday thanks to a 28-yard run in the fourth quarer. Wide receiver Darnell Mooney had one carry for 20 yards to make him the second-leading rusher. Running backs Tyrone Tracy Jrl, Devin Singletary and Najee Harris combined for 34 yards on 14 carries.Asked about the non-benching after the game, Skattebo said he was “punished” for the fumble at the end of the Commanders game and said he had to be ready when the coach calls his number. MORE: John Harbaugh urges Cam Skattebo to direct energy in positive way for GiantsCam Skattebo: “I got punished for what I did (from last week). I understand it so I gotta be ready when coach calls my name and that wasn’t today.” “It’s hard, but I’ve made mistakes, and I got to own up to them.” #giants https://t.co/G1brLeqJFJ— Charlotte Carroll (@charlottecrrll) October 18, 2026Skattebo came into the game as the team’s leading rusher. He had 294 yards on 81 carries, which was more than everyone else on the team combined. It feels like he just not be the kind of football player that his coach can appreciate. —Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories with The Big Lead Newsletter —