EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Devin Singletary knows the unavoidable comparisons are coming. Actually, they're already here and beginning Sunday they will intensify.

That happens when you're the Giants' new feature running back and you wear No. 26, which last belonged to Saquon Barkley. It would be impossible and unnatural to avoid judgments. Barkley, who now plays for the Philadelphia Eagles, was a two-time Pro Bowler whose 5,087 rushing yards are the fourth-highest total in Giants history. To Singletary's credit, he doesn't attempt to deflect the questions or flash even the hint of annoyance when he is asked about his predecessor. As he does when faced with a challenge on the field, Singletary meets them head on.

"The outside might look at it that way because Saquon is a great back," said Singletary, who will make his Giants debut in the season opener against the Minnesota Vikings in MetLife Stadium. "He was here, this was his home for (six) years. So, of course they might look at it that way. But for me, it's playing ball, being here with my guys and helping the team win any way I can. It's doing what I've been doing my whole life, being myself. That got me this far, so I'm gonna continue to do that."

Singletary has crafted an impressive resume following that path. In five NFL seasons – four with Buffalo and last year in Houston – he has rushed for 4,049 yards, averaged 4.6 yards a carry, caught 175 passes, and scored 24 total touchdowns. In 10 postseason games, he added 389 yards on the ground, 34 receptions, and four more scores.

In 2023, Singletary led the AFC South champion Texans with career-high totals of 216 carries and 898 yards (more than twice the total of any teammate), while catching 30 passes and scoring four touchdowns. In the season's first eight games, he had 62 carries for 209 yards, a 3.4-yard average. Singletary did not touch the ball in a 21-19 loss to Atlanta on Oct. 8. But in the final nine games he ran the ball 154 times for 692 yards (4.5-yard avg.) and had three games with more than 100 yards (one more than he had in his first four seasons combined), including a career-high 150 at Cincinnati.

"I got more opportunities, that's all it was," Singletary said. "I feel like after that Atlanta game, that's when it started to go. I was always ready to go, but I didn't get more opportunities until the middle of the season.

"Also, that was a new offense for me, totally different than this offense. By that time, I would say I was definitely getting in a good groove."

Singletary believes he will find that sweet spot earlier this season. His offensive coordinator in his first three NFL seasons with the Bills was Brian Daboll, now, of course, the Giants' third-year head coach, who has assumed play-calling responsibility this season.

"I'm definitely glad to be back with Dabs," Singletary said. "It's been a lot of fun."

Daboll has also enjoyed their reunion.

"He's just a good running back," Daboll said. "You can use him on all three downs. So, whether that's running inside, outside, pass protection, routes, you don't have to sub him a bunch, in terms of this person has these specific plays, this other running back has this specific plays. So, I'd say he's an all-purpose back for us. I've known him quite some time in this league and he's consistent."

"That's today's lead (back)," Singletary said. "You have to be able to do all three and I definitely take pride in doing all three. Anything I can do to help the team win, that's what I'm about and that's what I'm going to do."

Because he is only 5-7, Singletary has had to convince skeptics who questioned whether he was big enough to succeed in the NFL

"That's the story of my life, I feel," Singletary said. "For whatever reason, just because I'm short, they feel like I'm small. But I wouldn't say I'm small, I'm just short. The list goes on and on of guys my height who have had success in this league."

He has long drawn inspiration from other similarly sized backs, including Devonta Freeman (who's 5-8), Warrick Dunn (5-9) and Hall of Famers Barry Sanders (5-8) and Thurman Thomas (5-10).

"The only person close to my size that I got to talk to was Thurman Thomas, and he was one of the greats," Singletary said. "He told me to keep being me, that was the biggest thing. He said, 'You have everything you need, just keep being you.'"

Like other backs mentioned above, Singletary believes being short has its rewards in an NFL backfield.

"Coming into the league, I used to get mad because all the guys (trying to tackle him) were going low," he said. "I was like, 'Why are you going low?' They said, 'You're so low to the ground, where else am I going to hit you? If I try to hit you head up, you're going to run me over.

"So, it's definitely to our advantage. Especially behind the line, by the time they see me, I might be right up on you. And like I said, I'm lower than most of the guys, so it's gonna be hard for anyone to get underneath me."

Singletary, who turned 27 yesterday, is already the wizened veteran in the Giants' backfield. His backups are second-year pro Eric Gray, who had only 17 rushing attempts last season, and rookie Tyrone Tracy. Just as he did with adjusting to his height, Singletary had a great NFL back to set an example for him as a mentor. He spent the 2019 season in Buffalo with Frank Gore, who rushed for 16,000 yards and caught 484 passes in a 16-year career.

"This is definitely the first room that I'm the oldest," Singletary said. "Last year, I was like the third oldest (behind Dare Ogunbowale and Mike Boone). It definitely came quick. I always said once I got to this point, I'm going to be a guy that helps out any way I can, giving any pointers that I can give them, any experience that I learned over the years. I want to pass it along, because that's what was done for me."

That willingness to help younger teammates is another similarity he shares with Saquon Barkley.

*Perhaps it's a good omen that every player on the roster practiced on the first day the Giants were required to release an injury report.

Four players were limited: safety Dane Belton (back), quarterback Drew Lock (abdomen), linebacker Micah McFadden (groin) and wide receiver/returner Gunner Olszewski (groin).