New York Giants Fantasy Football News | Shark Bites

The Cardinals are trading Isaiah Simmons to the Giants for a seventh-round pick. That marks a steep fall for the former first-round pick who is in just his fourth season, the final on his rookie contract. Arizona moved Simmons from LB to safety this offseason but clearly wasn't satisfied with him in the new role. We'll see whether Simmons can carve out a meaningful role with his new team, but odds stand against him rebuilding IDP value.

Giants TE Darren Waller caught three balls for 30 yards in Friday night's preseason game, getting open at will vs. the Panthers defense. More importantly, Waller ran a route on 80% of QB Daniel Jones' dropbacks and was targeted on four of Jones' nine passes (44.4%). That elite usage follows a buzzy training camp. If his health cooperates, Waller is in for a big 2023 season. He's climbing our TE rankings.

Colts RB Deon Jackson missed Thursday's practice with a quad injury and is expected to sit out Saturday's preseason opener against the Bills, according to the team website. Indy, of course, was already without RB Zack Moss (wrist) and RB Jonathan Taylor (feelings, ankle?). That leaves recent signee Kenyan Drake and fifth-round rookie Evan Hull as the top healthy competitors for playing time. We'll see how long Jackson remains out. Taylor has been the only Colts back in draftable range in our RB rankings, but he has fallen during his training-camp absence. It's a tough situation to buy into at all in current fantasy football drafts. Indy also signed RB Jason Huntley this week.

After attending 11 training camp practices, Bobby Skinner of Talkin' Giants writes, "I don’t know how you could make an argument for any WR but Darius Slayton leading the room in receiving." Slayton is coming off a WR49 finish in half-PPR points per game and got a two-year, $12 million deal from the Giants this offseason. For some reason, he's the fifth Giants WR in ADP, going 86th among all WRs. He sits much, much higher in our 2023 WR rankings.

The Athletic's Dan Duggan reported that Giants WR Jalin Hyatt saw the "most first-team work since being drafted" by the team on Friday. The Giants selected the 2022 Biletnikoff Award winner out of Tennessee with the 73rd pick of the 2023 NFL Draft in hopes of bolstering a less-than-stellar WR room. This news comes on the heels of Hyatt leaving practice early on Wednesday due to what the team called "heat-related reasons." Considering only one wideout (Darius Slayton) exceeded 600 yards receiving last season, the Giants will need all the help they can get. HC Brian Daboll spoke about Hyatt, saying that it's "up to him to go out there and show what he can do," and that each player will have to "will earn their role" in the offense. Sure, it's just coach speak, but seeing Hyatt out there earning reps with the first-team offense this early on is a great sign. We'll keep an eye on his progress as training camp unfolds.

The Athletic's Dan Duggan writes that Giants QB Daniel Jones “looks so much more comfortable” in the offense compared to last summer. It’s understandable, as he enters Year 2 alongside HC Brian Daboll and OC Mike Kafka. New TE Darren Waller is drawing rave reviews for his work in training camp, too. As the QB14 in ADP, Jones looks like a fine draft day target.

Giants OT Andrew Thomas said Wednesday that TE Darren Waller is "going to be a problem" for opposing defenses. S Xavier McKinney called Waller "special," adding that humans shouldn't be that large and fast. Waller was a spring standout and has rolled that momentum over to the start of training camp. SNY TV's Connor Hughes believes Waller gives the Giants' passing game a "go-to guy." Alongside an underwhelming WR corps, Waller is the favorite to lead the G-Men in targets this season. There's upside from his 6th/7th-round ADP.

The Giants have placed WR Wan'Dale Robinson on the PUP list for the start of training camp. This isn't a surprise, given that Robinson is coming off an ACL tear. We'll see how soon he's ready to return to action.

NFL analyst Greg Cosell believes Giants QB Daniel Jones will improve in 2023. “He throws a good ball… He’s big, and he’s physical. I’m expecting him to take another step forward,” Cosell said on the Inside the Birds podcast. “I’ve heard really good things about how smart he is, how he works at it. You have to believe he’s going to take another step within the context of the [HC] Brian Daboll/[OC] Mike Kafka offense.” It’s a reminder that Jones, only 26, can reach higher ceiling. Led by TE Darren Waller, an improved set of weapons only adds to Jones’ 2023 fantasy value. You’ll find him among the top-15 of our QB rankings.

NFL analyst Greg Cosell doesn’t expect Giants WR Jalin Hyatt to be a “major factor” in the 2023 offense. “I think he’s going to have a lot to learn,” Cosell said on the Inside the Birds podcast. “Yes, he can run. There’s no question he can run, and he can get on top of the defense … but I don’t think …based on tape study… that he’s going be a big factor, particularly early in the season.” The rookie fell to Round 3, perhaps due to a limited route tree and a single year of production. Either way, he landed with a Giants squad that’s unsettled at WR long-term. See where Hyatt landed in our dynasty WR rankings.

Giants QB Daniel Jones looks to build off a solid 2022 in Year 2 with HC Brian Daboll. Jones set career-highs in adjusted completion rate (80.1%), passing yards (3,642), and yards per attempt (6.8). The last two figures aren’t particularly impressive, but remember his leading receivers: Darius Slayton, Richie James, Isaiah Hodgins, and Saquon Barkley. While Sterling Shepard and Wan’Dale Robinson are candidates for the PUP list, New York added pass-catching talent in Darren Waller, Parris Campbell, and Round 3 pick Jalin Hyatt. Even modest passing improvements would give Jones a chance to perform as a top-10 fantasy QB. Last year, he ranked fourth among QBs in rushes; second in scrambles.

The Texans have been “impressed” with RB Devin Singletary this offseason, per insider Aaron Wilson. The former Buffalo Bill signed a 1-year deal (with $2.5 million guaranteed) in March. “Devin has done a good job,” HC DeMeco Ryans said. “Devin has put himself in a really good spot – love the attention to detail, how he prepares each and every day, so I’m excited where Devin is.” Singletary ultimately projects as a complementary piece behind Dameon Pierce. Given Houston’s new coaching staff, though, we’ll keep a close eye on first-team reps at training camp. See where both guys landed in our updated RB rankings.

The Athletic's Dan Duggan does not expect Giants QB Daniel Jones' designed runs to decline in 2023. Jones ranked fifth among QBs with 79 designed runs last year. "The zone read figures to remain a major piece of the offense," Duggan writes. "It’s an annual offseason talking point in Buffalo how quarterback Josh Allen needs to limit his carries. Invariably, Allen runs just as frequently when the games start in the fall. I’m expecting the same with Jones." The Bills comparison is apt because Giants HC Brian Daboll was Buffalo's OC from 2018-2021. It'd make little sense for Daboll to limit Jones' running considering how effective it's been. He used a 120-708-7 rushing line to finish 12th among QBs in fantasy points last year and has similar upside in 2023.

The Giants selected Tennessee WR Jalin Hyatt in Round 3 of the 2023 NFL Draft. Hyatt won the 2022 Biletnikoff Award as the top receiver in college football, compiling 1,267 yards and 15 TDs on 67 receptions. That’s a huge 18.9 yards per catch. And this dude can fly. Hyatt clocked a 4.40-second 40 time at the Combine and plays even faster, routinely running by SEC CBs. He also possesses underrated ball skills and a large catch radius. Now, Tennessee’s up-tempo, spread offense regularly put Hyatt in favorable situations. He has a significant transition to make to an NFL-style offense. It’s also worth noting that Hyatt totaled just 502 receiving yards over his first 2 NFL seasons and is slenderly built at 6’0, 176 pounds. We like Hyatt’s chances of emerging as a legit big-play threat for the Giants. But he might lack the size, physicality, and route-running acumen to become the focal point of an NFL passing game. We'll see how the Giants plan to deploy him. The lackluster WR corps presents opportunity as soon as Hyatt's able to prove he's ready. Check out Hyatt's initial projection in our 2023 fantasy football WR rankings.

Panthers edge Brian Burns had surgery last Wednesday on his right ankle, the team announced Monday. Burns missed Week 18 with what was deemed an ankle sprain, but he returned to participate in the Pro Bowl games. Panthers.com's Darin Gantt reports that Burns continued to feel soreness as he began the offseason program, however. Tests revealed a "small fracture," which Dr. Robert Anderson repaired. Carolina expects Burns to be ready for training camp and play the season with "no limitations." This obviously adds a challenge for a rising, young pass rusher, though. We'll be watching Burns' progress this summer. Don't be surprised if we're a little cautious with his initial projections, coming in mid-May.

The Colts signed WR Isaiah McKenzie, who was cut by the Bills earlier this week. McKenzie is coming off a career-best 42-catch, 423-yard season in Buffalo -- but that still landed him outside the top 50 WRs in PPR points. He currently looks like the favorite to replace Parris Campbell as Indianapolis' primary slot receiver, but we'll see if the team adds anyone else to the WR room. McKenzie isn't an exciting pick in early best-ball drafts.

The Texans and RB Devin Singletary have agreed to terms on a one-year deal worth up to a reported $3.75 million. The former Bill will immediately walk into a backfield previously devoid of depth behind the incumbent RB Dameon Pierce. From a fantasy perspective, the biggest fallout here is how Singletary's mere presence alone cuts into Pierce's value. In fairness, the Texans adding depth RBs behind Pierce was almost inevitable. This issue was a glaring team need that the Texans had to address this off-season. Even so, Singletary has exceeded 200+ touches in each of the last two seasons and logged three-consecutive years of 50+ targets as a pass-catcher. He's not elite, though he isn't some nobody name either. This spells bad news for Pierce, a player who finished 2022 as the RB27 in PPR scoring on the heels of 250 touches through 13 games prior to a season-ending ankle injury. Simply put, Pierce's effectiveness as a fantasy asset was heavily tied to his high volume, and now, that's not looking likely to work in his favor in 2023. Assuming the Texans don't add anyone else into the fold, a potential backfield split on a lower-tier NFL offense likely means both Pierce and Singletary will cannibalize each other into RB3/flex range at best. That said, it's still too early, and unfair, to believe this will be a 50-50 split. Keep an eye on the NFL Draft next month in case the Texans make this busy RB room even busier.

The Bills released WR Isaiah McKenzie, saving $2.7 million in cap space. McKenzie popped for a few big games in Buffalo over the past couple of seasons but never became a consistent fantasy option. The Bills believe they've found an upgrade in WR Deonte Harty. We'll see where McKenzie lands, but he's not worth a pick in early best-ball drafts.

WR Darius Slayton re-signed with the Giants on a 2-year, $12 million deal. Slayton has been pretty consistent through 4 NFL seasons, finishing with 46-50 catches and 724-751 receiving yards in 3 of them. That, of course, isn't enough to really get the fantasy juices flowing. Slayton is still just 26 and a candidate to take a step forward in his 2nd season under HC Brian Daboll. But don't consider him more than a WR4 in early best-ball drafts. The Giants' WR corps now reads: Slayton, Isaiah Hodgins, Wan'Dale Robinson, Parris Campbell, Sterling Shepard.

The Raiders have agreed to a trade sending TE Darren Waller to the Giants in exchange for a 2023 third round pick (100th overall). The pick Giants are sending was initially acquired via the midseason deal that sent WR Kadarius Toney to the Chiefs, thus marking the first fantasy-relevant contribution Toney has ever made for the team. The need to address pass-catchers around QB Daniel Jones stood atop the list of priorities for the Giants this offseason, and now Waller arguably becomes the best receiver on this team. Though hamstring injuries plagued Waller's 2022 campaign, we're not far removed from three-consecutive seasons of 90+ target and 12+ PPR PPG production from the former Pro Bowler. We'll see what the Giants do in the NFL Draft next month regarding the WR position, but as of now, we're looking at some fairly intriguing fantasy upside here from Waller.