Gary Brightwell
#4 RB,
Giants
ACTUAL 2022
29 FPTS
RANK: 94
2023 SEASON
21 FPTS
RANK: 130
AGE
24 yrs
HEIGHT/WEIGHT
6'1'' / 218 lbs
COLLEGE
Arizona
| SEASON | GP | FPTS | RANK | RUATT | RUYD | RUTD | RUAVE | RECPT | REYD | RETD |
| 2023 | 16 | 21 | 130th | 23 | 88 | 1 | 3.8 | 4 | 28 | undefined |
| 2022 | 17 | 29 | 94th | 31 | 141 | 1 | 4.6 | 5 | 39 | 0 |
| 3yr Ave | 13 | 2 | 177th | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4.00 | 1 | 6 | 0 |
Sees increased workload Thursday
Published: 2023-09-22
Brightwell rushed four times for five yards and caught two of three targets for 31 yards in Thursday's Week 3 loss to San Francisco.
It was expected that Brightwell would see more snaps with Saquon Barkley out with an ankle injury, though Matt Breida saw the bulk of New York's backfield work. Brightwell ended up logging nine offensive snaps, making a minimal impact on the ground with a long gain of just two yards. He was more effective as a pass catcher, as his pair of receptions went for 18 and 13 yards, respectively. Breida will likely continue to see the majority of snaps at running back for as long as Barkley remains out, but Brightwell appears to be the clear second option while that remains the case -- rookie No. 3 back Eric Gray saw all of his work on special teams Thursday.
Weekly Stats 2022
Stats not availablePerformance Splits: 2020 to 2022
| Fantasy Points | Rushing Averages | Receiving Averages | ||||||||||||||||
| LOCATION | STADIUM | GP | GS | GM | TOUCH | RANK | YD | TD | AVE | YAC% | 10+ | 20+ | 50+ | REC | YD | TD | ||
| Home | Outdoor | 15 | 0 | 0.7 | 0.65 | 164th | 3 | 0.0 | 3.9 | 40% | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 2 | 0.0 | ||
| Away | Outdoor | 11 | 0 | 1.3 | 0.99 | 168th | 6 | 0.1 | 5.0 | 60% | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0 | 0.0 | ||
| Away | Dome | 2 | 0 | -0.1 | -0.10 | 176th | -1 | 0.0 | -1.0 | 0% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0.0 | ||
| Away | Retractable Dome | 2 | 0 | 3.5 | 0.99 | 101st | 16 | 0.0 | 6.2 | 3% | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 9 | 0.0 | ||
Career Stats by Season: 2021 to 2022
| Fantasy Points | Rushing Stats | Receiving Stats | ||||||||||||||||||
| SEASON | AGE | TEAM | GP | GS | TOTAL | RANK | ATT | YD | TD | AVE | YAC% | 10+ | 20+ | 50+ | SHARE | REC | YD | TD | ||
| 2021 | 22 | NYG | 13 | 0 | 2 | 157th | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4.0 | 25% | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% | 1 | 6 | 0 | ||
| 2022 | 23 | NYG | 17 | 0 | 29 | 94th | 31 | 141 | 1 | 4.6 | 42% | 6 | 1 | 0 | 6% | 5 | 39 | 0 | ||
Role could grow with Barkley out
Published: 2023-09-20
Brightwell is expected to get some carries in a backfield led by Matt Breida with Saquon Barkley (ankle) ruled out for Thursday's game against the 49ers, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com reports.
Breida is expected to lead New York's backfield, but Brightwell is next in line for carries, while 2023 fifth-round pick Eric Gray could mix in sporadically as both a runner and a pass catcher. Brightwell has 150 yards and a touchdown on 33 carries since being selected in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Giants.
Sees garbage-time duty Week 1
Published: 2023-09-11
Brightwell carried one time for five yards and caught both of his targets for six yards in Sunday's blowout loss to the Cowboys.
Brightwell didn't get a touch until midway through the fourth quarter, when the Giants were down 40-0. He logged a five-yard rush on his lone carry and added a pair of meaningless receptions with the clock ticking down for the final two plays of the game. Brightwell ended up on the field for 11of New York's 70 offensive snaps overall, and he could be hard-pressed to see even that much action most weeks as he works behind Saquon Barkley and Matt Breida.
Ready to roll Sunday
Published: 2023-09-08
Brightwell (knee) does not carry an injury designation Friday ahead of Sunday's game versus Dallas, Dan Salomone of the Giants' official site reports.
Despite having been sidelined since mid-August with a knee issue, Brightwell will be healthy enough to play in Week 1 versus the Cowboys. He probably won't get many touches as long as Saquon Barkley and Matt Breida remain healthy, though.
Still limited at practice Thursday
Published: 2023-09-07
Brightwell (knee) was a limited participant at practice Thursday ahead of Sunday's game versus Dallas, Dan Salomone of the Giants' official site reports.
Brightwell has been sidelined since the middle of August with a knee issue, and his status for the Giants' game in Week 1 is now in true doubt. If he proves unable to play come Sunday, fifth-round rookie Eric Gray would be a likely candidate to replace him as the primary kick returner.
Gets in limited practice
Published: 2023-09-06
Brightwell (knee) was a limited participant in practice Wednesday.
Brightwell has been sidelined since the middle of August but was able to make the 53-man roster thanks in large part to his experience on special teams as the lead kick returner. Getting in a limited session in practice should improve Brightwell's chances of suiting up Week 1 against the Cowboys on Sunday, Sept. 10.
Still dealing with injury
Published: 2023-09-01
Brightwell (undisclosed) was not a full participant at practice Thursday, Michael Eisen of the Giants' official site reports.
Brightwell stands to contribute mostly on special teams when healthy, as he currently looks like New York's top kick returner, but he could occasionally spell Saquon Barkley and Matt Breida as a depth option on offense, per John Fennelley of USA Today.
Still dealing with injury
Published: 2023-08-27
Brightwell (undisclosed) is still not fully healed as of Sunday, Dan Duggan of The Athletic reports.
Brightwell has been sidelined by the injury for over a week, and his inability to get back on the field will likely hamper his chances to make the team's 53-man roster as the No. 3 running back, according to Duggan.
Not playing Friday
Published: 2023-08-18
Brightwell is not in uniform for Friday's exhibition matchup with the Panthers due to an undisclosed issue, Charlotte Carroll of The Athletic reports.
Brightwell is competing with Jashaun Corbin, James Robinson and Eric Gray for the team's No. 3 running back role behind Saquon Barkley and Matt Breida. It is unclear what specific issue he is dealing with, but the Giants have one more preseason game left, so he will have more time to make an impression going forward.