Elijah McGuire ranks third on the New York Jets with 80 carries this season.
That's a far cry from the role the sixth-round pick out of Louisiana-Lafayette expected he'd have when he joined the team.
"I was expecting to come in and just play straight special teams," McGuire said. "But for me to get reps at the running back position, it tells me a lot... that the coaches trust me; so whatever opportunity I get, I've got to take advantage of it."
So far he's done a good job of that averaging nearly four yards per carry as he splits time in the New York backfield with leading rusher Bilal Powell and backup Matt Forte.