Matt Breida

Matt Breida

29-Year-Old Running BackRB
 Free Agent  
Free Agent
2023 Fantasy Outlook
Breida served as the Giants' clear-cut No. 2 running back last season, but that didn't translate into much output with Saquon Barkley functioning as a workhorse within the team's offense. Breida finished the campaign with 54 carries for 220 yards, with both marks representing the second-lowest totals of his six-year career. The veteran saw his most work as a pass catcher since 2019 as a 49er, tallying 20 catches for 118 yards, and his overall contributions led New York to re-sign him this offseason. The Giants also selected running back Eric Gray in the fifth round of the NFL Draft, but the rookie isn't expected to usurp Breida on the depth chart. As long as Barkley remains healthy, though, Breida likely will play a nominal role again. Read Past Outlooks
RANKS
$Signed a one-year, $2.3 million contract with the Giants in March of 2023.
Struggles in reserve role
RBNew York Giants
January 10, 2024
Breida went without a carry while playing five snaps on offense in Sunday's 27-10 win over the Eagles.
ANALYSIS
Breida ended the regular season with 55 carries for 151 yards and a touchdown while catching 17 of 21 targets for 88 yards over 17 games. He played second fiddle behind workhorse Saquon Barkley for most of the season, but even when Barkley was sidelined from Weeks 3 through 5 due to injury, Breida couldn't get much going on the ground as the fill-in starting running back. The seventh-year veteran's role decreased as the campaign wound down, and he played only eight offensive snaps without logging any stats over the final two weeks. That drop in opportunity came as New York gave rookie Eric Gray a longer look, perhaps signaling the team's desire to use him more as a ball carrier next season. Meanwhile, Breida is set to hit free agency and is far from a certainty to return to New York in 2024. He has durability going for him, having played all 34 regular-season games for the Giants over the past two season, but after averaging a meager 2.7 yards per carry in 2023, he'll likely be looking at a backup role regardless of where he lands.
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NFL Stats
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Fantasy/Red Zone Stats
See red zone opportunities inside the 20, 10 and 5-yard lines along with the percentage of time they converted the opportunity into a touchdown.
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Advanced NFL Stats
How do Matt Breida's 2023 advanced stats compare to other running backs?
This section compares his advanced stats with players at the same position. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that metric and it would be considered average. The longer the bar, the better it is for the player.
  • Broken Tackle %
    The number of broken tackles divided by rush attempts.
  • Positive Run %
    The percentage of run plays where he was able to gain positive yardage.
  • % Yds After Contact
    The percentage of his rushing yards that came after contact.
  • Avg Yds After Contact
    The average rushing yards he gains after contact.
  • Rushing TD %
    Rushing touchdowns divided by rushing attempts. In other words, how often is he scoring when running the ball.
  • Touches Per Game
    The number of touches (rushing attempts + receptions) he is averaging per game
  • % Snaps w/Touch
    The number of touches (rushing attempts + receptions) divided by offensive snaps played.
  • Air Yards Per Game
    The number of air yards he is averaging per game. Air yards measure how far the ball was thrown downfield for both complete and incomplete passes. Air yards are recorded as a negative value when the pass is targeted behind the line of scrimmage. All air yards data is from Sports Info Solutions and does not include throwaways as targeted passes.
  • Air Yards Per Snap
    The number of air yards he is averaging per offensive snap.
  • % Team Air Yards
    The percentage of the team's total air yards he accounts for.
  • % Team Targets
    The percentage of the team's total targets he accounts for.
  • Avg Depth of Target
    Also known as aDOT, this stat measures the average distance down field he is being targeted at.
  • Catch Rate
    The number of catches made divided by the number of times he was targeted by the quarterback.
  • Drop Rate
    The number of passes he dropped divided by the number of times he was targeted by the quarterback.
  • Avg Yds After Catch
    The number of yards he gains after the catch on his receptions.
  • % Targeted On Route
    Targets divided by total routes run. Also known as TPRR.
  • Avg Yds Per Route Run
    Receiving yards divided by total routes run. Also known as YPRR.
Broken Tackle %
5.5%
 
Positive Run %
81.8%
 
% Yds After Contact
75.5%
 
Avg Yds After Contact
2.1
 
Rushing TD %
1.8%
 
Touches Per Game
4.2
 
% Snaps w/Touch
26.8%
 
Air Yards Per Game
0.1
 
Air Yards Per Snap
0.01
 
% Team Air Yards
0.1%
 
% Team Targets
4.3%
 
Avg Depth of Target
0.1 Yds
 
Catch Rate
81.0%
 
Drop Rate
9.5%
 
Avg Yds After Catch
5.4
 
% Targeted On Route
13.2%
 
Avg Yds Per Route Run
0.55
 
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2023 NFL Game Log
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Receiving Alignment Breakdown
See where Matt Breida lined up on the field and how he performed at each spot.
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2023 Matt Breida Split Stats
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Past Fantasy Outlooks
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
After a few good seasons in San Francisco to begin his career, Breida has become a journeyman, spending 2020 in Miami before landing with Buffalo in 2021. The speedy Georgia Southern product saw only 12 offensive snaps through the first nine weeks last year before getting a little work in the middle of the season, amassing 172 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns over a three-game stretch. Breida faded from relevance again after that, as Devin Singletary seized the lead role in the Bills backfield, but it was enough to earn Breida a modest one-year contract with the Giants after they released Devontae Booker. New York could be a good spot for Breida to rehabilitate his value and earn a slightly larger deal next offseason, considering Saquon Barkley looked like a shell of his old self last year while 2021 sixth-round pick Gary Brightwell mostly played special teams.
Breida is probably looking at the No. 3 running back role on a deep Bills team, but it's not like Devin Singletary or Zack Moss wowed last season, so the speedy veteran will certainly get his share of chances after running for 254 yards and a 4.3 average on 59 carries with the Dolphins last season. Assuming Breida does make the final roster, the Buffalo running back group is starting to look like a true committee heading into the 2021 campaign. Breida's wheels could help him emerge as a change-of-pace option in that context.
For the second consecutive season, Breida topped 5.0 yards per carry as part of the 49ers' dynamic running attack while also having trouble staying healthy, missing three midseason games with an ankle injury. Once Breida returned, Raheem Mostert had usurped his spot in the pecking order, and Breida failed to get more than 12 snaps in a game from Week 14 through the Super Bowl. Breida received a second-round restricted free-agent tender early in the offseason, but he was then traded to Miami for a fifth-round pick on Day 3 of the draft. Heading into his fourth season, the 25-year-old remains explosive, having recorded the top speed of any ballcarrier in 2019 when he hit 22.3 mph on an 83-yard touchdown run in Week 5. His smaller frame at 5-10, 190, and durability issues likely will limit his workload with his new team, and offensive coordinator Chan Gailey's scheme will be a downgrade from Kyle Shanahan's, but with Jordan Howard around to handle the heavy lifting between the tackles, Breida should still do some damage as the lightning to Howard's thunder. The Dolphins did trade for Lynn Bowden just prior to the regular season, and the rookie third-round pick possesses traits as a gadget player and potential change-of-pace option, but Breida's job should be his to lose.
The backfield's getting crowded in San Francisco. Tevin Coleman joined the 49ers this offseason from the Falcons, and Jerick McKinnon should be recovered from the torn ACL that wiped out his 2018, but Breida could still see a sizable role thanks to the one trait he possesses that Kyle Shanahan prizes above all others - blazing speed. The third-year back's 22.09 mph top speed on a touchdown run in Week 12 was the fastest recorded in the league last year, and his 5.3 YPC and 8.4 YPT placed him among the league leaders at running back. The 49ers' decision to load up on backfield talent might end up being a necessary measure, as McKinnon has dealt with some hiccups late in the rehab process, leaving him as a question mark for the upcoming season. At 5-10, 190, Breida isn't built to take frequent pounding between the tackles, but as long as the scheme finds ways to get the ball in his hands in space, he shouldn't need a lot of touches to rack up useful production.
An undrafted rookie free agent last year, Breida fell into the No. 2 spot on the 49ers' depth chart early last season and held his own. Checking in at 5-10, 190, the scatback ran a blistering 4.37 40-yard dash at his pro day, and while his speed didn't translate into huge gains as a rookie - he managed only two runs of 20 yards or more on 105 carries - he did show the toughness to run between the tackles on occasion while posting 4.4 YPC. With Jerick McKinnon out for the season, opportunity knocks for both Breida and Alfred Morris. Look for the 49ers to ride the hot hand out of the gate, but McKinnon's injury transforms Breida from a late-round flyer to a vital part of an offense with some upside.
The undrafted rookie out of Georgia Southern was picked up to provide depth at the running back position for the 49ers. Standing at just 5-foot-9 and 180 pounds, what Breida lacks in size he makes up for in the speed department (4.37 40 time during his pro day). He emerged as a surprise favorite for the No. 2 spot on the depth chart late in the preseason, with his spot seemingly confirmed when the Niners cut Tim Hightower and placed Joe Williams on injured reserve with an ankle injury. Breida profiles as Carlos Hyde's top backup -- a role that could potentially include regular passing-down snaps.
More Fantasy News
Plays five offensive snaps Monday
RBNew York Giants
December 26, 2023
Breida caught his only target for three yards in Monday's Week 16 loss to Philadelphia. He did not log any rush attempts.
ANALYSIS
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Cleared to play against Philly
RBNew York Giants
December 23, 2023
Breida (hamstring) doesn't have an injury designation for Monday's game against the Eagles, Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio reports.
ANALYSIS
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Considered limited Friday
RBNew York Giants
Hamstring
December 22, 2023
Breida (hamstring) was considered a limited participant on the Giants' estimated injury report Friday, Dan Salomone of the team's official site reports.
ANALYSIS
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Pops up on injury report
RBNew York Giants
Hamstring
December 21, 2023
Breida (hamstring) was a limited participant in practice Thursday, Dan Salomone of the Giants' official site reports.
ANALYSIS
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Tallies 21 total yards Week 15
RBNew York Giants
December 17, 2023
Breida rushed three times for 10 yards and caught two of three targets for 11 yards in Sunday's 24-6 loss to New Orleans.
ANALYSIS
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