Predicting NY Giants’ rushing, receiving touchdown leaders in 2021
The NY Giants spent significant resources this offseason, bolstering Daniel Jones’ supporting cast on offense, but how much difference will Saquon Barkley, Kenny Golladay, etc. make?
The NY Giants’ offense was a major problem in 2020.
It was a problem that the Giants spent significant resources to improve heading into 2021, which promises to be a pivotal season for Daniel Jones and an inflection point of the organization’s rebuild following a four-year absence from the NFL Playoffs.
There’s a legitimate chance that the NY Giants could have two new starters at wide receiver, including Kenny Golladay, the prize of free agency, and Saquon Barkley’s return at running back from a torn ACL should take some of the pressure off Jones.
But, one year removed from fielding the league’s 31st ranked offense that averaged only 17.1 points per game, how much better will the offense be in an offense-driven NFL?
Here’s a look at our best guess for who will lead the NY Giants in receiving touchdowns, rushing touchdowns, and Daniel Jones’ stat line in 2021:
Receiving touchdown leaders
Jones is going to have a plethora of options in the passing game that could spread the wealth around, but there’s virtually no chance that the team-leader in receiving touchdowns will find the end zone just three times this season, as Darius Slayton did in 2020.
Kenny Golladay is the NY Giants’ marquee offseason addition, and the key reason the organization is so optimistic both about its chances at challenging for New York’s first postseason berth since 2017 and Jones’ prospects this season, alike.
During the 2019 season, the last time Golladay played 16 games, the star wide receiver caught a career-high 11 touchdowns.
Given that Sterling Shepard, Slayton, rookie Kadarius Toney, running back Saquon Barkley, and tight end Evan Engram will all get their share of targets, don’t expect anyone to reach double-digits in receiving touchdowns this season … But Jones very well could surpass 30 for the first time in his career, given the 17-game schedule and presuming he stays healthy.