In a 32-part series leading up to the start of the 2021 National Football League season, we will take a look at each NFL franchise from a fantasy perspective. The 25th team we will review is the New York Giants.
When you think of the New York Giants these days, the player who instantly comes to mind is running back Saquon Barkley, who grew up in the Bronx. The Giants hometown boy is one of the greatest running backs in the National Football League–when healthy. Last year in week two, Barkley missed the rest of the season with a torn ACL he suffered in a 17-13 Giants loss to the Chicago Bears. A year earlier, Barkley missed three weeks with a high ankle sprain, but only had two 100-yard rushing games in 10 games after his injury.
The hope for fantasy owners is that Barkley returns to his 2018 form. Three years ago he led the entire NFL in total yards from scrimmage with 2028 yards. Due to his unpredictability in staying healthy, Barkley is ranked seventh among running backs.
At quarterback, Daniel Jones is ranked 26th. Last year in his first full year as the Giants starter after the retirement of Eli Manning, Jones completed 280 passes in 448 attempts for 2943 yards, 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. One reason for concern is that you could make the argument that Jones took a step back from a year ago. In 2019, he had 24 touchdowns compared to 12 interceptions.
The other Giants player worth drafting is wide receiver Kenny Golladay, who is 27th among wide receivers in fantasy rankings. Golladay was selected to the Pro Bowl in 2019 while with the Detroit Lions, but there are just too many question marks surrounding him after missing 11 games with a hamstring and hip flexor injuries. It will now be interesting to see how long it will take for Golladay to build chemistry with Jones. The Giants are hoping that Golladay returns to his 2019 form where he led the NFL with 11 touchdown catches. That is why they signed him to a four-year deal worth $72 million.
