Dynasty Capsule: New York Giants

As part of the premium content package, we’re again unveiling dynasty capsules for every team in the NFL leading up to free agency and the NFL Draft. This year, we’re again going to do a follow-up on all the teams after all the free agency and NFL Draft movement to assess the impact of any players teams have gained or lost. Since these capsules are always done as a simple snapshot in time, we figured that was the best way to tackle the off-season and provide ultimate value for our subscribers. All in all, we’ll have close to 500 player profiles found in these capsules over the off-season.

Quarterbacks

Eli Manning

Wow, talk about a fall from grace.

Eli Manning was a low-end QB1/high-end QB2 from 2010 to 2012, finishing those years as the QB8 (even with 25 INTs), QB6 and QB14, respectively.  Going into 2013, he had the look of a low-cost QB1 or very good QBBC option.  So Manning then went ahead and posted one of the worst seasons of his 10-year career, throwing for just 18 touchdowns and a career high 27 interceptions.  It was Manning’s first full season throwing for fewer than 20 scores.  As a result, Manning has gone tumbling down the ranks and his current ADP sits at QB27, squarely in the middle of the 19th round.  At that price, Manning has nowhere to go but up, making him a decent buy-low QB2, and someone who I would like to have as a back up for a higher profile QB1.  You know that you are getting durability, and Manning has proven that he can perform at a high level in the past.  Ben McAdoo, Aaron Rodgers’ former quarterback coach, is now in as the Giants’ Offensive Coordinator and the Giants will look to upgrade the offensive line in the offseason.  If Rueben Randle and Jerrell Jernigan build upon their 2013 emergence, Manning should have all the weapons he needs to rebound into a decidedly unsexy, but effective, QB2.

Ryan Nassib

Nassib has a strong arm, will learn from the Coach who tutored Aaron Rodgers and possibly witness first-hand how he fixes what’s ailing Eli Manning.  He’s not going to start in the near future, but could be a half-decent stash in very deep 2 QB or superflex leagues.

Running Backs

I know what you’re thinking.  The Giants have running backs?

David Wilson

I guess he’s the most high profile player to talk about.  The words “spinal stenosis” have plummeted Wilson from a second round startup pick prior to last year to the RB37 who you can now get in the middle of the tenth round.  Only vague reports that his recovery is doing well and that he may be ready for training camp have provided some sort of buoy for his value.  At this point, with the injury uncertainty, and that Wilson is a pass protection and ball security liability, it’s hard to get excited about him.  If somehow he was able to correct those issues and stay healthy — an “if” bigger than the Petronas Towers — his playmaking ability could take over.  Wilson is really nothing more than his current ADP suggests, however – a high upside, low floor RB4.

Andre Brown

Brown is a unrestricted free agent.  Despite the fact he barely played and lost a fumble in the Giants’ Week 17 game against the Redskins, he still averaged 12.1 PPR points per game when he was healthy, which would put him as the RB27 in that category.  Take out that one game and he jumps to the RB19 with 13.8 PPR points per game.  If he ended up re-signing in New York as the lead back in a committee, he would be a fine low-end RB2/high-end Flex option.

Michael Cox

Cox flashed a little during the preseason, then owners got a little overexcited when it looked like he would start for the Giants when Wilson went down and Brown was still on the “IR:Designated to Return” list.  Unfortunately, the seventh round pick from UMass averaged just 3.1 yards per carry on 22 carries.  On the other hand, the Giants’ offensive line was a complete mess and could not run block.  In a new offensive system, Cox could go either way and I expect the Giants to add another back during free agency or the draft.  If they also re-sign Andre Brown and Wilson returns to action, Cox may get buried on the depth chart.

The Field

Whether or not the Giants re-sign Andre Brown, there will likely be at least one more running back on the Giants roster who could slot in anywhere on the depth chart.  It’s an extremely fluid situation for a team that has to re-establish its running game to get the entire offense back on track.

Wide Receivers

Victor Cruz

After finishing 2011 as the WR 3 and 2012 as the WR14, Cruz was dragged down in 2013 by the general ineptitude of the Giants’ offense, finishing as just the WR28 in 14 games (with his season ending with a scary looking neck injury that fortunately turned out to be minor).  The stats were actually on par with 2012 other than the significant decrease in touchdowns that was spread around the entire offense.  Cruz’ ADP, which is currently hovering around WR20, makes him an excellent buy-low.  With Hakeem Nicks jerseys already on sale in the Giants’ Team Store, Cruz will be the undisputed number one option in a Giants offense that has almost nowhere to go but up.  What will be interesting to watch is whether the Giants add another starting-caliber outside receiver who could bump Cruz into the Randall Cobb role in McAdoo’s offense or seem content to roll with Cruz, Randle and Jernigan, which would likely lead to Cruz spending most of his time on the outside.

Rueben Randle

Playing third fiddle in the moribund Giants offense, the 6’3” 210 pound Randle caught 41 balls for 611 yards, while leading the team with six touchdown grabs (1/3 of Eli’s total).  Indeed, that is infinity more times the amount of touchdowns the outgoing Hakeem Nicks caught (much to my chagrin).  What is disconcerting about Randle is the amount of times he was simply not on the same page as Manning,  He often got caught running the wrong route or making an ill-timed adjustment.  Some of Eli’s bountiful interceptions were directly caused by Randle’s inexperience – this also led to an underwhelming 52.5% catch rate on Randle’s 78 targets. Hopefully the likely ascension to a full-time starting role and some new coaching will correct these issues.  If it turns out to be a fundamental football intelligence issue though, Randle’s value could drop precipitously.  At a current ADP of WR26 (being drafted over players like Larry Fitzgerald, Kendall Wright and Vincent Jackson), that low floor certainly would scare me.

Jerrel Jernigan

Starting in Week 12, Jernigan was actually the PPR WR32 and that includes a goose egg in Week 13.  In the last two weeks of the seasons, stepping in for the injured Victor Cruz, Jernigan averaged six receptions for 85 yards and a touchdown.  He aslo scored a rushing touchdown in Week 17.  He could certainly carve out a role in a Packers-type passing offense, especially with the lack of any established tight end on the Giants’ roster.  At an ADP of WR86, the cost is extremely minimal and there certainly is a fair amount of upside there.

The Field

There is no one else on the current Giants roster who is worth rostering even in deep leagues.  I expect them to sign or draft at least one more receiver.

Tight Ends

Adrien Robinson

The Giants’ revolving tight end door has currently left them with only the athletic, but unproven Adrien Robinson as a pass-catching option.  Famously called the “JPP of tight ends” by Giants’ GM Jerry Reese, ARob had a hard time staying healthy last year.  The Giants will likely add a tight end through free agency as they have the last couple of years (Martellus Bennett, Brandon Myers), but Robinson is worth rostering in deeper and TE-premium leagues based on this upside.

The Field

Free agent tight ends with Packer connections to Ben McAdoo included Andrew Quarless and Jermichael Finley.  Garrett Graham is also an interesting name to watch.