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New York Giants veteran wide receiver Sterling Shepard was having a mediocre year in 2021, much like the other Giants receivers.
Unfortunately, after only seven games played, he tore his Achilles, which ended his campaign. He has been rehabbing the injury all offseason, seeming increasingly likely to be available for Week 1.
Entering the first Sunday of the season, fantasy managers need to know his status. Is Shepard injured? Will he play in Week 1? What is his fantasy football outlook this week? Let's dive in.
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Sterling Shepard Injury Updates for Fantasy Football
Shepard entered training camp recovering from the Achilles injury, resulting in him being placed on the Physically Unable to Perform list.
This was not particularly surprising given the timeline of the injury; however, some positive news came about a month later.
Being removed from the PUP list was the first step toward playing in Week 1.
Is Sterling Shepard Injured or Playing in Week 1?
Having been activated from the PUP list a couple of weeks prior to the season, his chances of playing were steadily improving. That led to this update on Tuesday.
This provided further optimism but because it came from the player himself and not the team, it was not an official status report. Fortunately, that news came on Friday when he was left off the official injury report.
This confirms Shepard will take part in their game against the Titans.
Sterling Shepard Fantasy Football Outlook for Week 1
The Giants' offense struggled to compete in 2021, finishing second to last in passing yards, points per game, and red zone opportunities while finishing dead last in touchdowns per game.
While it is unlikely the Giants become a playoff team in 2022, their offense will undoubtedly improve from last year. This creates an opportunity for one or more of their receivers to emerge. Unfortunately for Shepard, the odds are much higher that it's Kadarius Toney or Wan'Dale Robinson who make an impact in the offense.
Shepard is unlikely to have a big year unless injuries occur ahead of him, which is certainly possible given the track record of Toney and Kenny Golladay. For Week 1 though, he remains a player to bench in all formats and league types.
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