New York Giants 2017 Roster Preview: Wide Receivers
By Sean Dyer
Odell Beckham Jr., Brandon Marshall, and Sterling Shepard
The top-three wideouts for Big Blue are set and it could be one of the best wide receiver trios in the NFL this season.
There’s not much to say about Odell Beckham Jr. that you don’t already know.
Odell is one of the best, if not the best wide receiver in the league and at just 24 years old, there’s more room for him to grow. That’s a scary thought, especially for opposing defenses.
Entering his fourth year, OBJ will be looking for his fourth straight 1,000+ yard, 10+ TD season.
As good as Odell Beckham Jr. is, he’s only 5’11”. To give Eli Manning a big red-zone target, the Giants went out and signed Brandon Marshall this offseason.
Listed at 6’4″ 230 lb., Marshall will terrorize opposing defensive backs in the red-zone. However, there’s more to the former New York Jet’s game than his size.
Marshall is just two years removed from his dominant 2015 season when he hauled in 109 receptions for 1,502 yards and 14 touchdowns. His 2016 campaign was quite a drop-off but let’s not forget the Jets quarterback situation last year.
With Eli Manning throwing him the ball and being nowhere near the top of defensive coordinators’ worries, Brandon Marshall could be in for a big year.
With Odell Beckham Jr. and Brandon Marshall drawing attention on the outside, Sterling Shepard will be free to roam around in the slot.
Coming off of a very productive rookie season that saw the former Oklahoma Sooner catch 65 passes for 683 yards and eight touchdowns, Shepard should continue to grow and expand his role in the offense.
Shepard quickly showed good chemistry with Eli Manning in his rookie year and another offseason of working together will only improve their connection. The Giants are lucky that the sophomore receiver has already started working his way back from his sprained ankle.
Sterling may have to share some of his snaps in the slot with rookie tight end Evan Engram, but after the season he had a year ago, Shepard has earned plenty of looks in 2017.
Good luck to opposing secondaries when trying to cover this three-headed monster.