Darius Slayton
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New York Giants rookie wideout Darius Slayton is excited to build his chemistry with rookie quarterback Daniel Jones.

It’s safe to say Darius Slayton has stepped up for the New York Giants in his inaugural season in the pros. He’s caught 27 balls for 394 yards and five touchdowns, with each scoring reception coming from rookie quarterback Daniel Jones. In the absence of Sterling Shepard, he’s been a bright spot for this 2-8 ballclub.

Slayton’s increased opportunities are a result of Shepard’s concussion. Shepard has missed the last five games, as Slayton has caught four of his touchdowns in that span of time. Through it all, the first-year pro is finding motivation in his role’s increase as well as in his chemistry growth with Jones.

“It’s exciting. Obviously, you want your quarterback to have a lot of faith in you as a receiver. I think that’s how you build a rapport with quarterbacks,” Slayton said, per Patricia Traina of Sports Illustrated’s Giants Maven.

“Every time the ball leaves their hand, making sure it gets completed. I think that helps them have confidence in us. We know they are going to put the ball there, so at the end of the day, it’s on our end.”

Slayton and veteran wideout Golden Tate have proven to be productive complements to one another while Shepard nurses his injury. It’ll be interesting to see how each of these receivers work together when the team’s No. 1 wideout returns. There’s only been one game this year where Shepard, Tate, and Slayton were all active.

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Ryan Honey is a staff writer and host of the Wide Right Podcast.