Paul Perkins

Perkins (pectoral) cleared waivers in May, reverting to the Giants reserve/non-football injury list in the process. He'll compete for a roster spot next season.

The 2016 fifth-round pick didn't see his first snap on offense until Week 4, but by the end of the season Perkins had assumed the top spot on the Giants' depth chart, rushing for 271 yards over the final four games, including a 21-carry, 102- yard performance in Week 17 against Washington. At 5-10, 208, he's a little undersized to be a feature back and doesn't run with enough power to be effective in a short-yardage role, making last year's zero rushing TDs perhaps a sign of things to come. Perkins does, however, possess outstanding vision and elusiveness, and his ability to cut on a dime can leave would-be tacklers looking foolish. Although he caught 80 passes in three seasons for UCLA, the Giants didn't involve Perkins in their passing game much during his rookie season, leaving those chores to Shane Vereen and creating some upside potential in Perkins' numbers if he can earn Eli Manning's trust as a receiving option. The Giants did add 2017 fourth-round pick Wayne Gallman and former 49er Shaun Draughn, but if Perkins can retain the bulk of the early-down touches while adding to his workload in pass-catching situations, he's capable of putting together a breakout season.

Not long ago, any running back taken in the fifth round of the draft would be seen as a longshot to make the team, let alone accrue fantasy value, but the shifting scale of NFL priorities forces us to recalibrate the scale. The Giants backfield is crowded with several options, but nobody in front of Perkins is an unmovable behemoth; Rashad Jennings turned 31 in the spring and Shane Vereen doesn't have a history of playing in all packages. Perkins averaged 5.6 yards per rush as a collegian, along with a 9.2 average on 80 receptions. He might not be thick enough to project as a true featured back down the line, but his versatility and elusiveness could allow him to win a sizable share of the backfield work at some point this year.