In what could be quarterback Daniel Jones’ final run with the New York Giants, all eyes will be on this offense. The 2021 season did not go to plan for the unit – that’s an understatement. While not only dealing with one of the league’s worst offensive lines, the offense as a whole normally appeared stuck. They found it impossible to move the ball at times. This upcoming season should be vastly different due to the magnitude of changes made on this side of the ball.
With a new head coach in Brian Daboll and a new offensive coordinator in Mike Kafka, the Giants were able to grab two of the game’s most sought-after offensive minds. With an offense full of so many explosive playmakers, they are in search of a way to unlock the unit. With Daboll and Kafka leading the charge, they may be able to do just that.
The Giants have made an effort in adding explosive playmakers. Players such as Saquon Barkley, Kadarius Toney, and rookie Wan’Dale Robinson are all in line to have major roles in the offense this upcoming season. It will fall onto the shoulders of Daniel Jones to make sure that they are properly utilized. With that said, here’s four guys who must step up to help him out.
4. Saquon Barkley
Running back Barkley may be the biggest factor in the success of Jones. At times, the duo of Jones and Barkley has looked great on the football field. However, injuries have often kept the pair from playing at their highest level. It is a rare occasion that the two have even been healthy at the same time.
With Barkley also potentially heading into his final season with the Giants, he will also be looking to return to form. Just a couple of seasons ago he was arguably the most dominant back in the NFL. Over his first two seasons, he recorded 3,469 yards from scrimmage and 23 total touchdowns. He was effective through both the air and ground. He recorded 143 receptions in his first two years, with 91 coming in his rookie season.
Barkley has dealt with a string of injuries over the past two seasons, ranging from a torn ACL to multiple ankle injuries. While he appeared in 13 games in 2021, he wasn’t at the level that many have come to expect. He finished the year with just 593 rushing yards, 263 receiving yards, and four total touchdowns.
Now entering 2022, all signs point to Barkley being back to 100 percent. With reports that he will be a featured part of this offense, much of their success will be reliant on how he can perform. If the pair of Jones and Barkley can stay on the field together, this offense could reach levels that they haven’t come close to in the past.
3. Kenny Golladay
After adding veteran Kenny Golladay in free agency last offseason, the Giants thought they found their WR1 of the future. The receiver had spent the first four years of his career with the Detroit Lions, where he had his fair share of highs and lows.
From 2018 to 2020, he looked like one of the game’s top receivers. Over these two seasons, he recorded 16 touchdowns, 135 receptions, and 2,253 yards during this stretch. In his first year with the Giants, Golladay wasn’t necessarily utilized in a way that allowed for him to be successful. Much like the rest of the offense, things just didn’t work. Golladay played in 14 games, but his numbers were nearly on par with his stats from 2020, where he played in just five games. He finished the year with 37 receptions, 521 receiving yards and zero touchdowns on 76 total targets.
Golladay has achieved much of his success by winning battles one on one. He is a threat anywhere on the field and should be utilized that way. He has the size to be a red zone threat and can catch nearly anything thrown his way. If the Giants can utilize him that way in 2022, he can become one of the game’s best pass-catchers yet again.
2. Kadarius Toney
Second-year wide receiver Toney has already become one of the game’s most talked-about players. While he played in just 10 games in his rookie season, he has already proven to be electric when he steps onto the field. He has the sort of big-play capability that any team would want. With an offense being constructed by Daboll and Kafka, Toney could have a breakout year in 2022.
Toney had one of the more interesting seasons for a rookie in recent history. After barely being utilized over his first couple of weeks, and then dealing with an array of injuries, he missed a total of seven games. It is still very up in the air how good he can be in the NFL. He finished the year with 39 receptions, 420 receiving yards, and zero touchdowns.
There was a two-week stretch, during Week 4 and Week 5, where Toney looked to finally be breaking out. He recorded 16 receptions and 267 yards on a total of 20 targets. He looked impossible to stop and was tearing secondaries apart. He was able to put up 189 total yards on the Dallas Cowboys. This was nearly half of his total yards on the season.
If Toney can put up consistent numbers every week, and manage to stay on the field, he could quickly become an elite talent. As long as the team can get the ball into his hands, he has the potential to be a star. How he performs in 2022 will likely mirror how the offense as a whole looks.
1. Wan’Dale Robinson
The Giants added Kentucky wide receiver Robinson in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Robinson was one of the most dynamic players in college football during his time at both Nebraska and Kentucky. He often made big plays and was utilized all over the field. There is a good chance that he will be used the same way in New York.
During his three collegiate seasons, Robinson was used heavily through both the ground and the air. He recorded 195 career receptions, 2,248 receiving yards, and 10 receiving touchdowns. On the ground, he had a total of 141 rushing attempts. He racked up 691 rushing yards and four touchdowns while averaging nearly five yards per carry.
His lone season at Kentucky is where he was utilized the most during his time in college. He doubled nearly every receiving stat he had up to that point, while also proving himself to be a legitimate option through the air. In the 14 games that he played, he recorded 1,334 receiving yards, 104 receptions, and seven touchdowns. He was consistently a threat whenever he touched the ball. He averaged 13 yards from scrimmage on 111 total touches.
Much like Barkley and Toney, Robinson could be utilized all over this newly built offense. He has a skill set that will allow him to fit into multiple spots. It is also worth noting that he and Jones have also built up a connection during their short time together.