How should you handle your fantasy football league when it comes to drafting New York Giants? This is how our very own, Liam Stamm-Walsh, see’s it.
By Liam Stamm-Walsh
As the National Football League prepares to get underway, so does another football league: Your fantasy league.
Whether it’s with your co-workers, including the Steve from down the hall, who hardly converses with anyone in the break room, but runs the table on draft day; or with a couple buddies from school, who all bring a little too much booze, and “forget” that Jordy Nelson is done for the season (Hint: Matt didn’t do any research), we all want to acquire information that will give us an edge over our opponents.
The New York Giants, often regarded as a team with a roster chock full of fantasy backups and waiver wire bums – save a few stars in the past few seasons – enter the 2015 fantasy season with intriguing, draft-able, and yes, start-able players on their roster.
What makes the Giants extremely intriguing from a fantasy standpoint is the value at which you can draft many of the players on their roster. Here’s a look at what to expect from a few players on the Giants roster, and where to snag them in your draft.
Let’s get started.
Quarterback
Eli Manning is an incredibly good value at the quarterback position. Gasp! Yes, it’s true, this Manning has the potential to put up top 10 numbers at the Quarterback position, and at an ADP (average draft position) generally hovering in the mid-90’s, you can get him on the cheap.
With a plethora of weapons surrounding him, Manning looks poised to have a stellar 2015 campaign. By playing the low risk/high rewards game with Eli, you save yourself an early draft pick on QB(crucial in PPR leagues), allowing you to draft another Wide Receiver or Running back.
Running Back(s)
Rashad Jennings is the starter for big blue, but it would be wise not having him as one of your top two running backs, considering his injury risk, and the mouths to feed in the G-Men’s backfield.
I do like Jennings potential in this year’s offense however, with an expanded opportunity for touchdowns, and he did run well last year before he was injured.
Taking Jennings as a flex option or a bench player, and seeing how he plays would be a smart move, and with an ADP in the mid 60’s, you could swing it.
Shane Vereen is a passing down dynamo, he’s more useful in PPR league’s (points per reception) than in Standard league’s. With a PPR ADP in the mid 70’s, you’d be drafting a low end RB two, that can be used as a flex option as well. His ability to catch passes makes him a threat in PPR, but stay away until late in standard league’s.
Andre Williams being featured at the goal line this season seems like the plan for New York, but hold off on drafting him until one of the other two aforementioned running backs mentioned, suffers an injury.
If you want to take a gamble, based off the other two Running backs injury histories, you could swipe Williams late. Then, when everyone rushes to the wire when Jennings limps off the field with an ankle injury, you’ll put your feet up, and pour yourself another drink, because you already have Williams.
Wide Receiver
What really needs to be said about Odell Beckham Jr ? He’s an incredibly special talent, with a knack for getting targeted by Eli. Depending on your scoring system, he’s a late late first round, but more realistically an early to middle second rounder.
Only draft Antonio Brown, Julio Jones, Dez Bryant, and Demaryius Thomas over him. He’s an elite fantasy WR1 this season.
Victor Cruz That glowing report I just wrote about Odell would’ve been written about Cruz way back when in 2012.
He’s returning from a patellar tendon tear last season, while sustaining a knee injury the season prior that required surgery. Even Cruz himself does not appear to be 100% on his week one status.
Don’t waste a pick on Cruz early on. If you want to take a flier late, go for it. Who knows what will happen? His ceiling is higher than almost any other late round pick.
Tight End
Larry Donnell Remember when Donnell scored three touchdowns in one game last season? If you were starting him then, props to you. If you snagged him off the wire after that game, and saw him catch two touchdowns for the rest of the season and NONE during your playoffs, when you needed him most; my sincerest apologies.
This year, Donnell looks to be taking a back seat to Beckham, Cruz, and the running back core. Still, he could provide some touchdown value, and because of his red-zone ability alone, you may want to take him as your backup TE.
