Entering the 2023 season, the New York Giants looked like they had a solid wide receiver corps. Darius Slayton re-signed, as did Isaiah Hodgins. Both guys were dependable for quarterback Daniel Jones in 2022. Sterling Shepard also returned, Wan’Dale Robinson would eventually return from an ACL injury, and they added Jalin Hyatt from the draft. Oh, and they signed Parris Campbell in free agency. Combine all of this together, and what do you have? An overrated group.
No Clear Number One
One thing was clear entering this season. The Giants had no one on the roster that they considered a clear WR1. All of these guys were at best a WR2 or WR3 that could serve as complementary weapons. But, Daniel Jones needed a guy who he could throw the ball to and could trust when he needed to get out of trouble.
Let’s go through each guy.
Darius Slayton
Slayton would be the closest to a WR1 as you can get on this roster. In fact, he has played the most snaps than any other wideout (77.61%). Jones is his guy, and has been known to be his favorite target. But, he’s been inconsistent at times and has a history of struggling with drops. He has yet to score this season. Worse, he has failed to surpass 40 receiving yards in all but one game (against Arizona).
Isaiah Hodgins
Hodgins was signed from the Bills’ practice squad last season. He stood out in quite a few games for the Giants last year. An outstanding performance in the wild-card game against the Minnesota Vikings put him on notice. He caught eight passes for 105 yards and a score in a pivotal game. However, he has struggled to build on the momentum from last year. Targeted just 14 times by quarterback Daniel Jones through five games? Not good. Ten catches for 104 yards isn’t something to be proud of. But, at least he has a touchdown (one of two receivers with a touchdown on the team).
Sterling Shepard
Sterling Shepard is also another receiver Jones has depended on in the past. This was clear last season, with 13 receptions for 154 yards and a touchdown in the first three games before going down with the ACL injury. He has barely played this year and has done close to nothing when he is on the field (three receptions, 25 yards so far).
Wan’Dale Robinson
Wan’Dale Robinson had a memorable performance in week 10 last year. Jones targeted him 13 times against the Detroit Lions and rewarded his trust with nine catches for 100 yards. Unfortunately, he went down with an ACL injury in the same game. He appeared in his first game in week three this season and has been targeted at least five times in each game. However, he has yet to pass 40 receiving yards in a game this season and hasn’t done much with the balls thrown his way.
Jalin Hyatt
The third-round rookie was thought to be a deep threat Jones could find for big plays this year. However, he has played just 39% of snaps this year. Despite appearing in all five games this season, he’s finished with zero catches in three of them. His best game was (you guessed it) against Arizona, where he had two big plays to set the Giants up in great scoring positions. His limited playing time has been questioned by many. After all, big play ability is something you can’t teach and the Giants need to be more explosive on offense. What have you got to lose by playing him more?
Parris Campbell
Arguably the worst free agency signing by the Giants this offseason, he hasn’t been the dependable slot receiver we thought he would be. After having the best season of his career in 2022 with Indianapolis, he’s done a complete 360 so far this year.
Campell has been targeted at least four times in the first four games of the season. However, his highest yardage input so far is just 24 yards. As a matter of fact, his snap count has decreased every single week. After playing 67.1% of snaps in week one, it has exponentially dropped since.
- 66.2% in week two vs. ARZ
- 42.0% in week three vs. SF
- 30.7% in week four vs. SEA
- 22.2% in week five vs. MIA
Wan’Dale Robinson’s return has eaten into his play time, and Campbell has done nothing to impress the coaches and get more time on the field. It will be interesting to see what his future with the team will look like. But, he looks like a clear trade piece.
A Clear Need This Offseason
There’s no chance the Giants make a move to trade for a WR1 before the deadline. They’re 1-4, and unless they surprise some people in the next few weeks, they will stay put with who they have. Continuing to develop Hyatt while also giving Shepard (a season-high 27.8% snap share in week five) more playing time is the way the Giants should go for now.
Mike Evans is the number one candidate for the Giants to target. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver did not sign an extension this past offseason, which will make him a free agent at season’s end. A consistent 1,000-yard receiver and an established veteran, New York could use someone like that.
Tee Higgins is another option, as he has shown WR1 potential playing opposite of Ja’Maar Chase in Cincinnati. Calvin Ridley has rejuvenated himself in Jacksonville. It’s still unknown if the team will bring him back (they likely will, but nothing official yet). Michael Pittman Jr is a young receiver set to hit the market and has been pretty solid as the leading receiver for the Colts.
In the end, the New York Giants need a star wide receiver for whoever is under center in 2024. They could use one now too. But, it’s up to the front office if they still believe in making a run this season.
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Featured Image: Michael Owens/Getty Images
