Much excitement was generated this summer around the New York Giants’ revamped receiving corps. But in Week 1, the unit fell flat, as did the rest of the Giants’ offense as the team was embarrassed by the Minnesota Vikings at home.
This was supposed to be the start of second-year wideout Jalin Hyatt’s breakout campaign. But now his season outlook doesn’t look nearly as optimistic after the 22-year-old was on the field for just 15 snaps in the season opener.
Jalin Hyatt barely saw any playing time in Week 1
In Sunday’s contest, Hyatt played only four snaps through the first three quarters and finished the game with 16 total snaps played (h/t Jordan Raanan of ESPN). His 15 snaps account for just 23% of the team’s 68 total plays ran. This is shockingly minimal usage for Hyatt after he spent the majority of the summer rotating with the starters.
Hyatt was targeted just once in the game, dropping the only pass that came his way. Drops have been somewhat of a problem for Hyatt so far in his NFL career. He dropped three passes as a rookie last season on only 40 targets. But he did also total 373 yards on just 23 receptions (16.2 yards/reception). Hyatt has the potential to be a big-play threat, however, the Giants have been unable to generate any explosiveness on offense this preseason and now regular season so far.
They did try to create some explosive plays in the preseason. In fact, Hyatt was involved in one of those opportunities. Daniel Jones was intercepted on a deep shot downfield with Hyatt as the intended receiver in Week 2 of the preseason against the Houston Texans. He failed to create separation, however, and Jones’ flat ball was picked off.
Hyatt has elite speed and the ability to take the top off a defense. He was dominant during his collegiate career and won the 2022 Fred Biletnikoff Award as the best wide receiver in the country. Through one season and one week, however, Hyatt’s potential as a deep threat has barely been scratched, and now he seems to be falling out of favor with the coaching staff.
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Have the Giants lost trust in Hyatt?
Hyatt was impressive throughout the summer and earned significant playing time during training camp. He often rotated in as the team’s WR2 alongside veteran Darius Slayton, which led to anticipation that Hyatt would play a significant role in the team’s offense this season. But in Week 1, Slayton was firmly utilized as the team’s primary receiving threat opposite rookie Malik Nabers, with Hyatt playing more as a reliever.
Slayton is the far more established and experienced player when compared to Hyatt. He has led the Giants in receiving yards in four of the last five seasons and totaled a career-high last season with 770 receiving yards. Wanting to get Slayton on the field makes sense, but not giving Hyatt any significant playing time is puzzling.
The Giants had Slayton on the field for 51 snaps in Week 1, equivalent to 72% of the team’s total. He is clearly the team’s No. 2 wide receiver until Hyatt can prove that he deserves a larger role. So far, though, it seems like Hyatt has struggled to earn the trust of the coaching staff.
