The New York Giants have a talented wide receiver corps, but it seems as if they are missing one true WR1. Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton have performed well this season, totaling 879 yards and four touchdowns. It is also important to mention that Shepard missed four games, limiting his production.
Luckily, Slayton has played in all 10 games, with a 59.4% catch rate and averaging 15.4 yards per reception. Some might say Slayton is trending toward WR1 status, but I believe he is more of a high-end WR2 they can complement a top receiver very nicely.
If you look at a team like the Kansas City Chiefs, they have Tyreek Hill, Sammy Watkins, and Mecole Hardman, three extremely talented receivers but one true WR1.
I think the Giants would heavily benefit from gaining an elite receiver who can make plays and be trusted on any down, and for the sake of argument, they did have one in Odell Beckham Jr. That historical trade does seem to be favoring the Giants at this point, as Beckham suffered a torn ACL this year, and the Giants currently have safety Jabrill Peppers and interior defender Dexter Lawrence playing well.
Nonetheless, injecting a premium pass-catcher into Jason Garrett’s offense would completely open up opposing defenses. They would have to plan for Saquon Barkley, one of the most dangerous running backs in the NFL, and three talented receivers, let alone tight end Evan Engram who can open up the field with his athleticism.
An Ideal New York Giants’ WR corps for 2021:
1.) Allen Robinson
2.) Sterling Shepard
3.) Darius Slayton
4.) Austin Mack
If the Giants are going to upgrade the wide receiver unit, they should look no further than Allen Robinson in free agency. This season, he’s already tallied 755 yards and three touchdowns, catching 66.3% of his targets.
Robinson is considered a truly elite wide receiver, considering his ability to post fantastic numbers despite having inadequate quarterbacks throwing him the football. Mitchell Trubisky and now Nick Foles have been lackluster at best, but he still manages to put forth impressive performances on a weekly basis.
Give him a quarterback that can throw him the deep ball and an offense of line to protect the passer, and you have a receiver capable of much more. Additionally, pairing him with some of the best talents in the league, notably Saquon Barkley, will completely be open up the offense and virtually make them unstoppable.
Alongside him, you have Sterling Shepard, who is one of the best route runners and red zone threats in the NFL, and Slayton, who is a deep ball threat that is developing at an astronomical rate.
That is a sought after trio that any quarterback would be happy to have. As WR4, you have Austin Mack, who is a solid run-blocking receiver and is good for first down pickups and has a big frame he can utilize to shield off defenders.