It didn’t take long for Sterling Shepard to make his presence known. The New York Giants rookie wide receiver found himself working with the first-team offense before the offseason program even wrapped.
The second-round pick out of Oklahoma has continued the momentum into the summer, where he was one of the most impressive players on the field at Giants training camp. Every day, it seemed Sheppard was making plays using his precise route running and impressive catch radius.
There’s little doubt that Odell Beckham Jr., already one of the league’s best receivers, has finally found a sidekick. With Victor Cruz trying to come back from a series of injuries, Shepard appears destined for that role.
The rookie is ready to play and contribute immediately. Everyone around the Giants knows it.
“Shepard, obviously, we're going to have him right there in the mix at receiver,” quarterback Eli Manning said after the Giants’ first practice of the summer.
The only uncertainty appears to be how much damage Shepard can do as a rookie playing next to a Pro Bowl receiver such as Beckham.
Odell Beckham Jr.
ESPN Fantasy Projection: 100 receptions, 1,497 yards and 9 touchdowns
Over/Under: Over, over and over. Those are well-deserved lofty projections. Beckham had 96 catches for 1,450 yards and 13 touchdowns last season in 15 games. And while his targets may not increase this season with more weapons around, his efficiency should. Beckham is in his third season working with Manning. They talked this summer of knowing exactly what the other is doing, sometimes without any verbal cues. It was evident at training camp when Beckham was unguardable, scoring touchdowns almost every day even with quality cornerbacks such as Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Janoris Jenkins trying to cover him. Put Beckham down for over 100 catches, 1,500 yards and 12 touchdowns. Considering Beckham has 25 touchdowns in 27 career games, it's almost a lock he reaches double digits in that category in 2016.
Sterling Shepard
ESPN Fantasy Projection: 71 catches, 892 yards and 5 touchdowns
Over/Under: Under on catches and yards. Over on touchdowns. Playing the odds on this one. Only two of 22 second-round receivers (9 percent) from 2011-15 had over 800 yards receiving their rookie season. It’s not easy to have that kind of instant success. Shepard is an impressive talent, and will contribute immediately. He'll start Week 1 and be on the field for 90 percent of the offensive snaps. But 65 catches for 780 yards sounds more reasonable and realistic. Five is a good number on touchdowns. With a little luck and his big-play ability in a good offense though, let’s say he gets to six.
Victor Cruz
ESPN Fantasy Projection: 40 catches, 557 yards and 3 touchdowns
Over/Under: Under on all. Cruz is just too much of a crapshoot to predict the over. He’s already struggling with leg injuries after missing most of the past two seasons with ... leg injuries! Cruz is also going to be 30 this season, coming off two serious leg injuries and nobody (not even Cruz or the Giants) knows what he will be even if he is healthy. Best-case scenario appears to be that Cruz returns as a contributor. It’s unlikely he’ll ever be the player he once was, unless he comes close to repeating the same improbable underdog Victor Cruz story that got him to the mountaintop in the first place.
Who else could see time: Geremy Davis is an interesting second-year player who, if healthy, could start. He’s an intriguing option as a potential red-zone threat with his size (6-2, 217). Dwayne Harris should also find some time working out of the slot, but not enough to have any serious fantasy value unless the Giants are again devastated by injury.
