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New York Giants Have Two Players Make ESPN’s Top 100 Players Rankings

By Kenneth Teape

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The New York Giants are kind of an unknown heading into the 2015 season. They have a ton of question marks around the team, as injuries have ravaged their secondary all training camp. It has left them extremely shorthanded at the back end of their defense, as four safeties were lost for the season. Add in the fact Jason Pierre-Paul hasn’t reported after his Fourth of July fireworks incident, and Jon Beason injured his knee, the Giants defense as a whole is a big question mark outside Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Prince Amukamara being the starting cornerbacks.

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While the defense is a big riddle at this point, the offensive side of the ball is a little more clear. The Giants are expected to have one of the more high powered offenses in the NFL this upcoming season. Eli Manning and Odell Beckham Jr. have proven to be a dynamic duo, while Victor Cruz tries to return from a devastating patellar tendon injury last season. Add free agent signee Shane Vereen to a group including Rueben Randle and Larry Donnell, the Giants have one of the stronger cast of skill players in the NFL.

But, the success of the unit will really come down to if Manning and Beckham Jr. can replicate the success they had over the final 12 games of the 2014 season for 16 in 2015. They will have all eyes on them during the season, and rightfully so. That is probably why they are the only two Giants that made ESPN’s list of Top 100 players in the NFL.

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ESPN released their annual list earlier this week. Manning and Beckham Jr. will be the sole Big Blue representatives, as Manning is ranked 84th and Beckham makes a splash being ranked 21st. Manning is the 11th best Quarterback according to ESPN’s rankings, coming in behind Aaron Rodgers (2), Tom Brady (3), Andrew Luck (12), Peyton Manning (19), Ben Roethlisberger (24), Tony Romo (31), Russell Wilson (33), Drew Brees (34), Philip Rivers (37) and Matt Ryan (69).

That is not a list that will make many Giants fans happy, as seeing Tony Romo ranked ahead of Eli Manning in anything will prompt a question about the Cowboys’ playoff success with him under center. The same would go for Philip Rivers and Matt Ryan; remember that Wild Card weekend in 2011 ESPN voters?

While this list will undoubtedly bring up plenty of debate amongst fans and media personnel alike, Beckham Jr. should once again garner a ton of attention. Beckham Jr. made easily the biggest jump of anyone from 2014 to 2015, as he was more than a month away from even debuting last time this season. Now, he finds himself as the 21st best player in the NFL according to ESPN.

What Beckham Jr. did last season was extraordinary, 21 seems a little bit high. Not to rain on the parade as a Giants fan that appreciates everything Beckham Jr. brings to the game, but it is a little weird seeing him on any list ahead of some players that follow him.

Only Dez Bryant (T6th), Calvin Johnson (T6th), Antonio Brown (10th), Demaryius Thomas (18) and Julio Jones (20) are ranked ahead of Beckham Jr., which looks a lot lot the pecking order according to some people if they were ranking wide receivers for fantasy football this upcoming season. It is hard to argue Beckham Jr. being ahead of any of those players, as they are all established legitimate superstars. That’s why it makes it peculiar that he is ranked ahead of someone like A.J. Green, albeit by one spot, or Roethlisberger.

Just based on his body of work, Beckham Jr. is probably slightly overrated, but by judging by the remainder of the list he wouldn’t drop much further. Jordy Nelson (26th) could have an argument to be ahead of Beckham Jr. based on body of work, as well as his teammate Randall Cobb (39th). But, that would be about as low as I would drop him at this point, as Beckham Jr. has the makeup to be a top receiver in this league for many years to come.

While Beckham Jr.’s ranking seems a little generous currently, he would be more than deserving of his lofty ranking, with an argument to be made to even move up, if he delivers a sophomore encore of his rookie season.

To see the whole ESPN’s 100 Player Rankings, Click Here

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