This is a series on my 2014 outlook of players you would
want to have on your Paper Pigskin team (fantasy football). What you'll find here are my views based on
years of playing experience and countless hours of geeking out researching
stats, trends, and film. I'll advise
where to reach and whose hype not to believe.
NEW YORK GIANTS - Passing 224 ypg Rushing 83 ypg
There is not much offensive talent on this roster that Paper
Pigskin players can use to help them reach the promise land. The Giants
finished the preseason with a 5-0 record; much of the success should be
attributed to the way their defense has played. A team's defense is often an overlooked factor
when evaluating fantasy players; when defenses are good enough to get off the
field, it provides more chances for the offense to produce. New Offensive Coordinator Ben McAdoo was Green
Bay's quarterback coach, he emphasizes the short passing game to allow
receivers to make plays after the catch. So far, things haven't gone well; the
players have struggled and the team has looked out of sync.
QB: McAdoo has challenged Eli Manning to complete 70% of his
throws, which would mean a dramatic 13% improvement from a player that
completed 29 of his passes to the other team. The first pass of preseason was
an incompletion that should have been caught, he finished that game 6-7 but
went 13-30 as the rest of preseason played out.
The plan is for the offense to increase the tempo, a big bump in the
sheer number of attempts and completions and you have a recipe for more fantasy
points based on volume alone, not including the better efficiency. However, it
appears Manning doesn't have the right pieces around him to make this work. The
positive here is that the NFC East is full of lousy defenses that can be
exploited. Manning can be used as a bye week fill in, well worth the QB21 ADP.
RB: I feel Rashad Jennings is a fantasy zombie that will come to
life in a major way this season. The
Giants' successes in the past have come when the team is able to run the ball
well, and it looks like they have the work horse to lean on this season. Tom
Coughlin gives the ball to running backs that he can trust, and Jennings is as
reliable as they come; he's only lost ONE fumble in 387 career carries. Jennings
is a complete back, he can catch the ball well and pick up the blitz, he's also
pretty much all they have right now; which bodes well for those who draft him. He's
a steal at his RB21 price tag, I'd advise reaching a little higher. Andre Williams is a stud when he gets the
carries, but he'll have a hard time getting in the game if he doesn't learn the
nuances of pass protection. He's likely
to only see time in short yardage situations. His ADP is RB46.
WR: Victor Cruz had a down year mainly because the Giants lacked
quality players at the position and were forced to split Cruz out wide more
often than they wanted to instead of his more customary placement in the slot.
Cruz openly asked management to draft a wide receiver because of this, and they
complied by selecting Odell Beckham. The problem has been that the rookie
hasn't gotten much time to practice and Reuben Randle and Eli aren't on the
same page, which mean Cruz will have to continue to play out wide until these
issues get resolved. It's a shame because he's one of the best in the league
while running routes down the seam; he'll see many targets regardless though. His
WR15 ADP is too pricey for the level the offense is at right now, those that
pick him will be banking on steep progression... Randle is a post-catch
play maker that is tailor-made for this offense and is the team's best red zone
option but is having a hard time grasping the new system that is based on
timing and making reads. However, he still has tremendous upside and can pay dividends
for those that snag him; not a bad gamble at WR42. Put Beckham on your watch
list.
TE: There's not much
going on here other than a lot of question marks, read here for more insight.
The key here is to don't draft anyone.
Def: This is
currently the strength of this team but risky to own if the offense can't
sustain drives.
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