New York Giants wide receiver Kadarius Toney has had a difficult time staying healthy since joining the NFL in 2021.
Previously the 20th overall selection in last year’s draft, Toney made a significant impression as a dynamic playmaker on offense for the Giants. However, he was only able to make 10 appearances, totaling 420 yards. The impact he made in a disappointing Jason Garrett offense stood out, meaning he could have a monster 2022 season with Brian Daboll and Mike Kafka taking over offensive control.
Quarterback Daniel Jones stated recently how electrifying Toney is on the football field and how special he can be with a ball in his hands.
“I think it’s huge to have him,’’ Jones said. “The times he was out there last year you saw what he can do, how special he can be with the ball in his hands. I think that adds a lot to our offense to have him out there. We need him. I think he’s done a great job in meetings, he’s done a great job picking it up and learning this system.”
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Kadarius Toney projections for the 2022 season:
There are two different projections for Toney. One for if he can maintain his health and two based on injury struggles.
Injury Free:
-900 yards
-5 TDs
-100 yards rushing
Injury Riddled:
-400 yards
-2 TDs
-50 yards rushing
Essentially, Toney‘s projections get cut in half if he continues to deal with injuries this upcoming season. Toney has spent the majority of OTA‘s and mini camp wearing a red jersey, indicating he’s not participating in any live-action drills. The hope is that Kadarius will be available come training camp in a few weeks, as it seems Daboll is taking a more conservative approach with the team’s injury-prone players.
Daboll recently stated that he learned valuable lessons on dealing with injuries during his time with the Buffalo Bills. Whether that means keeping his star playmakers out of live-action during practice as a precautionary measure or simply waiting for them to be 100% is yet to be determined. Once we get a look at Toney and Kenny Golladay during training camp, we will have a better understanding of how Daboll will manage these injury issues.
Nonetheless, Toney has the capabilities to be an elite receiver in the NFL. He generated 12 forced missed tackles last season in just 10 games, an astounding number. Against the New Orleans Saints, he forced five missed tackles alone. Opposing defenders were running aimlessly like chickens with their heads cut off trying to catch him.
A healthy Toney is one of the most lethal playmakers in the league, so his potential could be far better than the projections laid out in this article if he can maintain that factor.