Hi everyone, I will be breaking down moves the Giants have made in the offseason, their draft needs, and finally tie in how all of this affects fantasy football. Here is my 2020 NFL Draft Analysis: Giants.

The Giants have had a pretty busy offseason thus far. Acquiring James Bradberry and Blake Martinez were two key pickups, as the Giants defense struggled last season. The loss of Alec Ogletree may have seemed to hurt the Giants, but letting Ogletree walk actually freed up the necessary cap space for the G-men to sign Bradberry and Martinez. Big Blue’s offense has enough young stars in Jones, Barkley, Engram, Slayton, and Shepard to be dangerous, but if the defense can’t get stops than the Giants will struggle. Although the Giants ended up with an ugly 4-12 record, they are definitely taking the necessary steps to build a more talented team.

Traded/Released by the Organization

WR Cody Latimer
OL Mike Remmers
CB Antonio Hamilton
LB Alec Ogletree
LB Kareem Martin
S Antoine Bethea

Acquired/Signed by the Organization

CB James Bradberry
LB Blake Martinez
DE Leonard Willams (Franchise Tag)
K Aldrick Rosas (second-round tender)
RB Dion Lewis
LS Casey Kreiter
OT Cameron Fleming
TE Levine Toilolo
QB Colt McCoy
LB Kyler Fackrell
WR Coby Core
S Nate Ebner
WR Corey Coleman
DT Austin Johnson

Draft Day Needs

The Giants could go in many directions on draft day. They could draft a solid OT to help protect Daniel Jones, they could draft the versatile Isiah Simmons, or they could trade their fourth overall pick. Giants GM David Gettleman has many options to think about on draft day. Being a Giants fan, I would personally want Isiah Simmons and here’s why. Simmons can play numerous positions very well. Blake Martinez and Isiah Simmons would give the G-Men two solid LB’s. Also with two swiss army knives, Isiah Simmons and Jabril Peppers, the Giants can be creative with their defensive formations, which can confuse the opposing offense.

If the Redskins trade their pick, and Big Blue can end up with Chase Young, that would definitely be my pick, but I don’t think that’s going to happen. I also totally see the value in drafting an OL to help protect Jones. The Giants have many options on draft day and here are some names the Giants should be seriously interested in:

Isaiah Simmons, LB, Clemson
Andrew Thomas, OT, Georgia
Tristan Wirfs, OT, Iowa
Mekhi Becton, OL, Louisville
Jedrick Wills Jr., OT, Alabama
Chase Young, EDGE, Ohio State

Fantasy Implications:

Although the Giants aren’t a good team, they still do have some solid fantasy players. Saquon Barkley is an absolute stud, and has big years, despite the Giants O-Line being sub-par. Daniel Jones is someone to stache on your bench because he definitely has potential. Darius Slayton, Sterling Shepard, and Evan Engram are three pass catchers, who deserve spots on fantasy teams. The Giants offense definitely has the playmakers to be a functional offense, and with some OL help, the Giants offense will be even more valuable.

Quarterback:

During the 2019-20 season, Daniel Jones replaced fan favorite, Eli Manning, as the Giants starting QB. In his first game in the NFL, Jones led the Giants to a win over Tampa Bay, giving Giants fans hope for the future. Jones showed off his arm and mobility last season. The main issue for Jones was the turnovers. Like most rookies, Jones struggled to hang onto the football, but with time, Jones should learn how to be smarter with the pigskin. Although Jones isn’t a starting fantasy QB right now, he is a solid bench player to have.

Running Back:

Saquon Barkley is an elite running back, who makes defenders look silly with the amount of missed tackles he causes. Barkley has the ability to turn a 3 yard gain into a 15 yard gain. The Giants star RB missed three games last season, but still managed to rush for over 1000 yards. Barkley is a solid RB1, and if the Giants decide to take the OL route in the draft, Barkley will have even more fantasy value.

Wide Receivers:

Darius Slayton was a pleasant surprise for Giants fans and fantasy owners of Slayton. Jones and Slayton showed great chemistry from the beginning, and Darius showed his playmaking ability. Slayton posted 740 receiving yards and 8 TDs in 14 games. As both Slayton and Jones gain more experience in the NFL, they will continue to get better and better.

Sterling Shepard had a decent 2019-20 campaign. In 10 games, Shepard had 57 receptions, for 576 receiving yards, along with 3 TDs. Shephard is a sure-handed pass-catcher when healthy, and would be a low WR2 or solid flex play for your fantasy team.

Tight Ends:

Evan Engram is listed as a TE but acts like a tall receiver. Engram’s blazing speed makes him a mismatch vs. any LB, and his height still makes him a reliable red-zone target. If Engram can stay healthy, he can be a true force in fantasy football.

Conclusion:

If the Giants take the offensive linemen route in the draft, that would increase the fantasy value of Jones, Barkley, Slayton, Shepard, and Engram. The skilled positions on the offensive side of the ball are solid for the Giants, it’s just a matter adding OL, and defensive players. If the Giants go defense in round one, the fantasy value of offensive players will remain the same.

Stay tuned for my draft analysis on the rest of the NFC East!

Check out Chris Pinto’s draft analysis on the Jaguars, Colts, and Texans!

If you liked what you read, make sure you follow me on Twitter @NateHerman27. And while you’re at it make sure to head to Belly Up Fantasy Sports and Picks and Belly Up Sports for more great reads!