The New York Giants started the 2023 NFL season with Darius Slayton and Darren Waller doing the heavy lifting as featured pass catchers. They’ll now lean on their young core of Wan’Dale Robinson and Jalin Hyatt to close out the year.
Giants: Coach Daboll All About Business in Decision to Stay With Hyatt and Robinson
Giants head coach Brian Daboll kept it short and sweet when addressing his decision to continue with his young receivers and how it might affect his veteran options including Parris Campbell and Isaiah Hodgins, saying this to the media per John Fennelly of Giants Wire:
“They’re pros,” he said. “I mean, they’re competitive, I’m sure they’d like to play, but we’re playing Wan’Dale and Hyatt.”
Robinson and Hyatt have led the Giants in receiving in two of their last three games. Hyatt earned Pepsi Rookie of the Week honors for his 106-yard performance against the New England Patriots on Nov. 27, while Robinson followed that up with a season-high 79 yards in their 24-22 win over the Green Bay Packers a week later.
Both struggled against the Saints last Sunday but were products of a Giants offense that failed to move the chains at large.
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Circumstances Favor the Giants Seeing What Their Young Pieces Can Continue to Produce
Waller just returned from a hamstring strain that kept him out since Week 8, giving Daboll precedence to bring him back gradually. Slayton has carried the receiving unit for the bulk of that time frame before Robinson and Hyatt came alive and will remain WR1 with both right behind him.
Campbell was a healthy DNP in the Giants’ win over the Packers and netted negative yardage against the Saints while Hodgins has been targeted sparingly despite reaching the end zone twice in his last three appearances.
With the Giants officially eliminated from playoff contention, it only makes sense for them to give their young talent as many reps as possible to accelerate their growth. Robinson and Hyatt will be benefactors of their lost season and can add to their season totals with three games left on the schedule. The Giants are scheduled to take on the Philadelphia Eagles in their next matchup.
