Here is the second August update for the Giants after their 3^rd preseason game against the New York Jets last night. Big Blue lost 32-24. There was much buzz in this game as the Jets decided to play QB Aaron Rodgers for a few series. He hadn’t played in a preseason game in 5 years! Tomorrow is the big cutdown day in the NFL where teams make one big move to get to the 53-man roster. The Giants made a few moves in advance of that. The only players released so far that have been in previous fantasy conversations were RB James Robinson and WR Collin Johnson.

QB Daniel Jones did not play against the Jets but looks poised to have a big year. He was super-efficient in his only preseason series. The team has afforded him a multitude of various receiving weapons and he should be able to leverage that into a highly productive season. I don’t expect him to run as much but his mobility will still be utilized in the play calling. All this being said, I believe he is a low end QB1 this year (QB12). You will see a noticeable uptick in passing yardage and TD’s with a slight decrease in rushing yardage and TD’s. The offensive line continues to improve with rookie C John Michael Schmitz starting and 2^nd year RT Evan Neal showing much improvement over his rookie season.

RB Saquon Barkley did not play at all this preseason. He has been looking great in training camp and that will translate to the regular season. OC Mike Kafka will continue to find different ways to get the ball in his hands. He is no worse than RB5 as he should touch the ball close to 300 times during the season RB Matt Breida is his handcuff but not roster worthy in my opinion as he isn’t a workhorse back if Saquon goes down. Keep an eye on promising rookie RB Eric Gray who should be the primary kick returner this season.

The receiver room is jam packed and there might be a name player cut tomorrow. There is no lead dog here, just some talented players with diverse skill sets. WR Isiah Hodgins has proven his worth as a big dependable target over the middle. Due to the multiple mouths to feed, he is no better than a WR4 currently. The same is true for WR Darius Slayton who is more of a downfield threat. Veteran WR Sterling Shepard has been playing and looks good coming off an ACL injury but is not draft worthy. The same can be said about Wan’Dale Robinson who is off the PUP list with an ACL injury. The wild card here is exciting rookie WR Jalin Hyatt who has impressed in camp and in preseason games. He is a speed merchant and will open things up for the passing offense. Until then, I would consider him a WR4 but with significant upside.

TE Darren Waller has changed the landscape of the passing offense. He is the clear #1 receiver on this team. He’s built up a great rapport with DJ and that was evidenced by his preseason performance against the Panthers. He’s a matchup nightmare due to his size and speed combination. If he stays healthy, consider him TE3 for your upcoming draft(s). Personally, I’m targeting him for at least 1-2 of my drafts. Young TE Daniel Bellinger is a solid #2 but not draft worthy with a healthy Waller.

The defense will be even better in 2023. The G-Men addressed the weakness against the run with some solid interior DL additions. LB Kayvon Thibodeaux will have a good sophomore season. Tackling machine LB Bobby Okereke will anchor the middle of the defense and provide leadership. An interesting player to watch will be LB Isiah Simmons who was acquired in the trade last week from Arizona. He possesses immense physical skills. DC Wink Martindale will turn him loose on passing downs to utilize his speed to rush the passer. The secondary is young and talented. With all these pieces in place, I think they are a top 12 fantasy defense. Sacks and turnovers will be on the rise in 2023.

PK Graham Gano is a stud and has a big leg. Those 50+ yard FG’s are money! He’s PK5 this year.

That’s it for now, good luck with your drafts!

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