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Good morning, New York Giants fans!
Saquon stuff
Saquon Barklety got his Madden 19 rating, and his 82 overall is second only to the 83 given to guard Quenton Nelson. As good as that is, Barkley apparently wasn’t happy with his 72 catch rating, calling it “disrespectful.”
Three of four ESPN NFC East beat writers believe Barkley will be the division’s top newcomer. Giants beat writer Jordan Ranaan said:
Barkley is going to make an immediate impact with the Giants, maybe even more as a receiver than a runner. It was obvious this spring he has the explosiveness, route-running ability and hands to create mismatches and havoc in the passing game. Linebackers and safeties had no chance. The rest of the NFL will see it for themselves this season.
Fantasy Football
We are getting closer to the opening of NFL training camps, which means it is time to get ready for your Fantasy Football draft, or drafts. We will soon begin some in-depth Fantasy Football previews, but here are a couple of Giants-related Fantasy mentions from Sports Illustrated.
First, a scout’s take on the Giants from a Fantasy perspective:
Fantasy football 2018: Scout’s analysis on every team | SI.com
What the Giants did in the draft tells you who they want to be on offense. By taking Saquon Barkley with the No. 2 pick and then adding Will Hernandez, who will step right in and start at left guard, in the second round, they have decided that they want to be a power-running team. This is not going to be a throw-the-ball offense. Eli Manning is going to be a complementary player, which is what he should be at this point in his career. Barkley is a very talented runner. At times he looks like Barry Sanders. Given that they also signed veteran Jonathan Stewart, the Giants will absolutely be a run-first team.
The flip side of run first, is that SI also says there is good reason to draft Eli Manning:
Everyone in the fantasy football universe likes Saquon Barkley, Odell Beckham Jr. and Evan Engram. If you like all three, how can you not also like their quarterback? Either they’re overvalued or Manning is undervalued, and I believe it will be the latter. Barkley looks set to carry on the recent trend of dominant rookie backs, taking the torch from Ezekiel Elliott and Kareem Hunt. Engram is a prototypical tight end in the modern game who made a seamless transition to the game as a rookie. Beckham has never been a bust in anything in his life. Remember, too, that Manning spent most of last year without Beckham, and a good chunk of it without Sterling Shepard, as well. Don’t overthink this one. If you like Barkley, Beckham and Engram—and who doesn’t—you should be targeting Manning in every draft and auction.
‘Locked on Giants’ back in full swing
Looking for a Giants-related podcast? Look no further than Locked on Giants with Patricia Traina and yours truly. We are going position-by-position through the roster. Here is our latest episode, on running backs.
More headlines
Odell Beckham Jr. and Brad Wing appear in Nicki Minaj’s ‘Bed’ video - SBNation.com
Oh, and Odell Beckham is in it too. But that’s not what’s important here.
Giants DT rips TSA for spilling mother's ashes
His mother died in June.
NFL's Summer Vacation: How players spend their time away from the field | SI.com
The NFL's summer break presents the ideal opportunity for players to pursue individual passions, and this year they lent a hand during a crisis (Josh Norman), got involved in local politics (Devin and Jason McCourty and Matthew Slater) and tackled personal goals around the world (Brett Hundley), just to name a few. Also, items on how the NFL is aiding coaches in teaching the new helmet-lowering rule, the NFL's involvment in NYC Pride, why Russell Okung's discussion about guaranteed contracts is so important and much more.
NFC East training camp preview: Key issues, players to watch - NFL.com
Can Dak Prescott's Cowboys evolve? How will Saquon Barkley elevate the Giants' run game? Will Carson Wentz be ready for Week 1? Jeremy Bergman looks ahead to camp in the NFC East.
What happens during the NFL’s dead period? - Arrowhead Pride
A firsthand account from our in-house medical expert, Aaron Borgmann