NFL Roster Rankings: Rotoworld places Giants 11th

With the 2013 NFL Draft in the rearview mirror Rotoworld has taken a look at the projected lineups for all 32 NFL teams and ranked each. Rotoworld's Evan Silva has placed the Giants 11th. Here are his projected lineups, and comments.

QB: Eli Manning
RB: David Wilson
FB: Henry Hynoski
WR: Hakeem Nicks
WR: Victor Cruz
TE: Brandon Myers*
LT: Will Beatty
LG: Justin Pugh*
C: David Baas
RG: Chris Snee
RT: James Brewer

Offensive Overview: It's also possible first-rounder Pugh winds up at right tackle with Kevin Boothe at left guard. The starters will be sorted out in camp, but New York's offensive line looks deeper than it's ever been during coach Tom Coughlin's tenure. Understandably so due to his explosive and physical running ability, the Giants are putting great faith in 2012 first-rounder Wilson to be their new bellcow back, letting Ahmad Bradshaw wallow in free agency and adding only seventh-round flier Michael Cox in the draft. While Wilson upgrades New York's big-play potential, Nicks' scoped left knee and Cruz's contract stalemate are the two biggest concerns for this offense. Cruz is likely to cave, but the G-Men need a healthy Nicks to execute Kevin Gilbride's vertical passing attack. As Gilbride's X-iso receiver, Nicks is the most critical player in the system.

LE: Justin Tuck
RE: Jason Pierre-Paul
DT: Linval Joseph
DT: Cullen Jenkins*
MLB: Mark Herzlich
WLB: Jacquian Williams
SLB: Keith Rivers
LCB: Corey Webster
RCB: Prince Amukamara
FS: Stevie Brown
SS: Antrel Rolle

Defensive Overview: Giants coordinator Perry Fewell is lucky to still have a job after his unit's ranking plummeted to 31st in 2012, ahead of only the historically porous Saints. The G-Men ranked sixth in total defense the year before. In fairness to Fewell, many veteran starters fell off a cliff simultaneously. Unfortunately for Fewell as it pertains to 2013, the Giants are counting on several (Tuck, Webster, Mathias Kiwanuka) for bounce-back years. Draft picks used on second-round tackle Johnathan Hankins and third-round end Damontre Moore infuse talented youth onto the second-team defense, but the first string appears no better than above average on paper. All three linebacker positions are concerning. Left and slot cornerback should be open to competition.

Valentine's View: There are a couple of things I disagree with in Silva's projected lineups. Offensively, the Giants have not stated where Pugh will begin his NFL career, but the common belief at this time is that he will compete for the right tackle job -- not the left guard job. That, of course, is not set in stone. Defensively, Silva must be the only person outside the Herzlich family to be projecting Mark Herzlich ahead of Dan Connor at middle linebacker. Herzlich COULD win the job, but the expectation -- and the projection -- has to be that Connor begins training camp atop the depth chart.

As for where the Giants are ranked overall I have to wonder -- do the Washington Redskins (No. 7), Chicago Bears (No.8) and Indianapolis Colts (No. 10) really have better projected lineups than the Giants? On the flip side, are the Houston Texans (No. 12) really below the Giants?