One of NY Giants’ wide receivers among NFL’s least-efficient

It’s no secret that the NY Giants’ wide receivers did little to help quarterback Daniel Jones in 2020, leading the organization to spend big in free agency, adding the premier player available at the position, Kenny Golladay.

However, even as in the season’s waning weeks former NY Giants receiver Golden Tate saw his role dramatically diminish as the likes of Dante Pettis and other young receivers saw more snaps, it was one of the team’s starters and cornerstone offensive players who was among the league’s least-efficient players at the position.

Sterling Shepard, who will likely reprise his role as the Giants‘ starting slot receiver following Golladay’s arrival, was among the NFL’s least-efficient wide receivers, judged by yards per target.

Shepard averaged just 7.29 yards per target, the seventh-fewest among receivers with a minimum 60 catches last season:

For as much as Jones regressed in his second NFL season, and first in offensive coordinator Jason Garrett’s system, Shepard and tight end Evan Engram were the only two NY Giants to catch more than 60 passes. Engram, by comparison averaged just six yards per target.

Here are the rest of the NY Giants’ receivers’ yards per target averages from last season:

Golden Tate: 7.46

Darius Slayton: 7.82

C.J. Board: 6.31

Austin Mack: 8.72

Dante Pettis: 15.2 (five targets)

By those metrics alone, it is easy to see why the NY Giants invested so heavily in pass-catchers; Golladay, John Ross, and tight end Kyle Rudolph in free agency.

If the organization is aiming to bolster Jones’ supporting cast to facilitate him taking the next step in his development, in hopes of winning more games, it was prudent. Likewise, adding a proven commodity at receiver such as Golladay erases some of the “chicken or egg” uncertainty over whether the Giants’ receivers struggled because of Jones’ deficiencies or visa-versa.

Regardless, looking at yards per target makes it easy to see why upgrading receiver has been an organizational focal point this offseason.

Matt Lombardo is the site expert for GMenHQ, and writes Between The Hash Marks each Wednesday for FanSided. Follow Matt on Twitter: @MattLombardoNFL.