New York Giants 2014 Season Preview and Predictions
Aug 28, 2014; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants running back Andre Williams (44) breaks tackle and makes a long gain against the New England Patriots at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim O
New York Giants: Fantasy Advice
Rashad Jennings, RB: “Bell-cow” style runner Jennings turned 29 in March, but he still has a ton of tread on his aging tires. Stuck behind Maurice Jones-Drew in Jacksonville and Darren McFadden in Oakland, Jennings has taken only 387 professional hand-offs(last year’s 163 was a career-high). Jennings will carry defenders (2.8 YCo/Att), but shake and bake is not part of his repertoire (only 16 missed tackles). He notched eight and seven reception games last season, ultimately finishing as the 13th rated receiver at the RB position by Pro Football Focus. Jennings will be Eli Manning’s security blanket, but hopefully not to the extreme extent we witnessed during the preseason slate.
Andre Williams, RB: While Jennings finished 4th in the NFL in preseason rushing yards, the rookie Williams wasn’t far behind in 5th. He bruised his way to 195 yards on the ground (5.1 YPC) — mostly against the second-team defense and beyond — displaying the patience, vision and finishing power that made him the Doak Walker recipient at Boston College. But with that said, until he proves himself dependable in blocking assignments and disproves the notion that he has stone hands, Williams remains more of a dynasty target than immediate fantasy contributor.
Victor Cruz, WR: Versatile Victor Cruz will remain the #1 option in Ben McAdoo’s West Coast scheme. He struggled to separate in tight quarters a season ago scoring just four touchdowns, but a higher-octane tempo should result in statistical gains across the board for Cruz. Don’t let an underwhelming preseason — four receptions for 61 yards all coming in week 4 — sway your decision making process and/or draft valuation on the salsa man. Last year he was over-drafted, this year he’s WR15 off the board according to FantasyPros ADP. There is value here.