Fantasy Football: 6 Players To Target In Giants vs. 49ers
Giants Defense/Special Teams
Oct 4, 2015; Orchard Park, NY, USA; New York Giants defensive tackle Kenrick Ellis (71) knocks Buffalo Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor (5) out of bounds short of the goal line during the second half at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Giants beat the Bills 24-10. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports
The Giants defense and special teams have been one of the worst units in the NFL for a long time. This season, they went to free agency to upgrade their special teams, but their defense looked like it would struggle as much as ever with top pass rusher Jason Pierre-Paul being sidelined after a Fourth of July fireworks accident. But, the Giants defense has been one of the biggest surprises in the NFL this season.
The Giants pass defense is where they struggle, but that may not be too much of a concern as they will be going up against Colin Kaepernick. Kaepernick has been awful this season, and that is putting it nicely. He has thrown five interceptions and zero touchdowns the last two games, making him a prime target for opposing defenses in the world of fantasy football. He is not completing passes either, connecting on just 50 percent of his passes the last two games.
Things could get worse for Kaepernick this week, as the Giants look like they will get an early lead and force him to make plays with his arm, not his legs. The Giants faced off with another dual-threat quarterback last week, and held the upstart Tyrod Taylor in check, making the extremely accurate Taylor look as shaky in the pocket as he has at any point this season.
On the ground, Carlos Hyde has a lot of talent, but does not have the opportunities currently to use it. The Giants also have a top defense defending the run, as they have given up the least rushing yards in the NFL at 279 total yards and 69.8 yards per game. That is elite numbers and something Hyde will struggle to ruin with how the 49ers have looked.
Because of those struggles, the Giants make for a top streaming option in fantasy football in Week 5. The 49ers give up the most points in fantasy football to opposing defenses, turning the ball over at least once a game and giving up multiple sacks in three out of four. The Giants haven’t been getting much pressure on opposing defenses this season in terms of sacks, but are opportunistic with seven takeaways. That makes them a strong option in any format of fantasy football, DFS ($2,900 DK, $4,300 FD) or season long formats.
Next: Pass Catching Running Back