The New York Giants were one of the NFL’s best feel-good stories last season.
Very few people outside of New York and New Jersey expected them to do anything of note, but they won six of their first seven games and made the playoffs, where they upset the 13-4 Minnesota Vikings in the Wild Card round.
But if their fans are counting on the team to build on that success this fall and winter, they may be setting themselves up for some disappointment.
The Giants’ wide receiver corps is rather weak, and analyst Warren Sharp illustrated this fact by pointing out how they had four different leaders in receiving yards in their nine regular-season wins.
this is gross
leading receiver in NYG 2022 wins
Wk 1: 71 yds – Sterling Shepard
Wk 2: 51 yds – Richie James
Wk 4: 23 yds – Daniel Bellinger
Wk 5: 79 yds – Darius Slayton
Wk 6: 38 yds – Daniel Bellinger
Wk 7: 58 yds – Darius Slayton
Wk 10: 95 yds – Darius Slayton
Wk…— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) June 26, 2023
Overall, their most productive wideout in 2022 was Darius Slayton, who put up 724 yards and two touchdowns, which were anemic numbers for a playoff team’s WR1.
There isn’t much reason to expect New York to be that much more productive when it comes to their passing game this coming season.
The one glimmer of hope lies within new tight end Darren Waller, whom they acquired in a March trade with the Las Vegas Raiders.
His production has declined over the last two seasons, but in 2019 and 2020, he went over 1,100 receiving yards and made the Pro Bowl in the second of those two seasons.
It may be too much to expect Waller to even get close to 1,000 yards in 2023, but perhaps he can give New York a boost.
However, such a boost likely won’t be enough to put the team in the ranks of the elite teams throughout the league, especially in what should be a very competitive NFC East.
NEXT: Giants Star Comments On Being An Underdog In 2023
