Giants at Saints Week 4 Preview: Who to watch, odds, best bets

The Giants hit a new low when they lost to a weak Falcons team last Sunday. Can they bounce back against another NFC South squad?

The NFL blessed the Giants with an easy start to their 17-game slate, providing them with matchups against the Broncos, Football Team, and Falcons.

There were some who believed New York would commence the year 3-0, only to be blindsided with overwhelming disappointment.

The Giants dropped to 0-3 last Sunday thanks to a game-winning field goal from Atlanta’s Younghoe Koo as time expired. As usual, Big Blue’s offense couldn’t find any sort of rhythm while two-minute defensive issues arose.

Big Blue is now in desperation mode; the Giants are starving for their inaugural victory of the new season.

Could it come this Sunday against the Saints?

Game Info

New York Giants (0-3) @ New Orleans Saints (2-1)
Sunday, Oct. 3, 2021 — 1:00 PM EDT
TV: FOX
Radio: WFAN660

Odds

Notable Game Props
(Courtesy DraftKings Sportsbook)

• Giants Total Points: Over-16.5 (-120), Under-16.5 (-110)
• Saints Total Points: Over-24.5 (-115), Under-24.5 (-115)
• First Team to Score: Giants (+145), Saints (-175)
• Last Team to Score: Giants (+130), Saints (-160)
• Giants Total TDs: Over-1.5 (-140), Under-1.5 (+100)
• Saints Total TDs: Over-2.5 (-160), Under-2.5 (+120)

Player Prop Picks (Courtesy DraftKings Sportsbook)

Saquon Barkley Over-29.5 Receiving Yards (-110)

No Sterling Shepard. No Darius Slayton.

The pair of receivers won’t participate due to hamstring injuries, so Daniel Jones will need to look elsewhere.

Enter: Saquon Barkley

Shepard and Slayton were knocked out early in the Week 3 matchup, and we saw how the Giants got Barkley involved in the passing game thereafter. Saquon ultimately caught six balls on seven targets for 43 yards.

Expect New Orleans to also bring the heat in the pass-rushing department due to the Giants’ banged-up and struggling offensive line. This will cause Jones to quickly look to Barkley out of the backfield.

The fourth-year back should easily hit this over.

Jameis Winston Over-0.5 Interceptions (+125)

I didn’t think I would see the day when Jameis Winston throwing at least one interception carried +125 odds, but here we are.

The Giants had a number of opportunities to make plays on the defensive side of the ball against Atlanta — Logan Ryan had a near-pick and so did Adoree’ Jackson in the end zone.

So the defensive backs are capable of being in position and just have to finish the play. Pair that with Winston’s mistake-making capabilities, and this should be an easy bet.

Winston threw two picks against Carolina in Week 2.

Daniel Jones Over-20.5 Completions (-115)

Again, Daniel Jones won’t have Shepard or Slayton, but he could still look toward Kadarius Toney and Collin Johnson, who caught five balls for 51 yards against Atlanta.

Kenny Golladay and Saquon Barkley, who we said should have a big role in the passing game, will also be there for Jones to rely on.

Taking all this into consideration along with the fact Jones completed over 20.5 passes in each of the first three games, this over should definitely hit.

I also believe the Giants will be playing from behind in this game — the Saints are the better team and will have a lot to play for being back in the Superdome for the first time this season. This should force Big Blue to abandon the run late in the game and look to produce through the air.

Odds and prop bets courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook. Get a bonus of up to $1,050 when you click here.

Players to Watch

Kadarius Toney

The Giants have increased Kadarius Toney‘s role each week; the first-round wide receiver participated on 66% of the offensive snaps against Atlanta after earning just 8% and 28% of the offensive reps in Weeks 1 and 2, respectively.

He must be a larger part of the game plan though. The Giants have targeted him just five total times through three weeks and, simply speaking, need to get the ball in his hands and get him out in space where he can maximize his speed and elusiveness.

There’s a chance Jason Garrett pulls out all the stops against New Orleans due to the scrutiny he’s received and the lingering possibility his days as the offensive play-caller are numbered. If he does, expect him to utilize Kadarius a notable amount.

Toney will also ascend the depth chart for this game due to the absences of Shepard and Slayton.

Evan Engram

Evan Engram needs a bounce-back game.

He was finally active against the Falcons in Week 3 but succumbed to the boo-birds of the MetLife Stadium faithful. The fifth-year tight end, who’s experienced his fair share of on-field issues, caught just two balls on six targets and lost a fumble, which was obviously met with frustration from fans.

Engram, still to this day, carries the ability to be one of the more versatile tight ends in the league given his speed and athleticism. The latest showing was another reason why many believe he’s not the answer at the tight end position though.

He’ll need to construct a productive Week 4 performance to not only boost his confidence, but also the confidence of the impatient fanbase.

Tae Crowder

All of a sudden, Tae Crowder‘s role is larger than it already was.

The linebacker has become the top guy at his position following Blake Martinez‘s ACL tear (which occurred last Sunday). Crowder is now expected to be one of the true leaders of this defense.

I’ve said before that Crowder is an underrated story — you don’t necessarily see Mr. Irrelevant draft picks start six games in their rookie campaign and commence their second season as an every-game starter.

But here he is in year No. 2 as the team’s top inside linebacker moving forward. He now has a more significant opportunity to prove what he could truly bring to the table, and it starts Sunday afternoon in New Orleans.

Wide Right Podcast Preview

On episode 86 of ESNY’s Wide Right Podcast, we preview the Giants-Saints matchup. You can locate the episode below, on Apple here, or on Spotify here.

Follow Ryan Honey on Twitter: @RyanHoneyESNY