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As has been the case during most of Tom Coughlin’s tenure in New York, this year’s Giants team enters the season with a committee at running back. Rashad Jennings, Shane Vereen, and Andre Williams will all be looking to get as many touches as possible in the crowded backfield. The offense entering it’s second year under offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo should improve the efficiency of the unit, given that players will be more familiar with what is expected from them and the terminology. Add in that defenses will be dropping more players into coverage in an effort to stop The Odell Beckham Experience, and Giants running backs should have a chance to make an impact for their fantasy owners this season.
Jennings is the player that should see the most snaps at running back for the Giants this season. He is easily the most well-rounded of the bunch, able to run the ball in a physical ground game while having soft enough hands to be a factor in passing plays. Jennings had a couple of productive games last season, including a 34-carry, 176 yard, one TD performance against the Houston Texans in Week 3 but anyone that has owned Jennings in the past can tell you that he is an injury waiting to happen.
Jennings has never played a full 16-game season in the NFL and even though he has not taken much punishment on the field, he has still hit the dreaded age of 30 as a running back. Jennings missed time last year due to sprains of his MCL and ankle, which led to a disappointing first season in New York. Jennings' perceived value has dropped from last season, when he was going in the 5th round in most leagues. This year his average draft position is in the 8th round, making him a potential bargain. Jennings is a boom-or-bust RB2 option that can be had for a discount, but comes with very real injury concerns.
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Next up is Shane Vereen, who New York signed away from the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots this offseason. Unlike Jennings, Vereen is more of a one-dimensional player that can be a real weapon in the passing game. Reports out of the Giants’ offseason workouts state that Vereen was taking a healthy amount of snaps and appeared to be more than just a third-down back. Ben McAdoo's offense is predicated on quick throws, which is a perfect fit for Vereen. One red flag however, is that Eli Manning has never been a very accurate passer when throwing to running backs.
Given Vereen's lack of production rushing out of the backfield in the past and his own injury problems, I would take a wait-and-see approach on the former Patriot before moving him too far up your draft boards. Vereen should be viewed as an RB3/Flex option, with more value in a PPR league than a standard league. That being said, if Jennings goes down with another injury, Vereen’s stock would rise significantly.
Last on the list is second-year player Andre Williams. Williams came into the NFL last year after leading Division I in rushing as a senior at Boston College. This led to Williams being a popular dark horse that many believed could make a big impact if given the chance. Well Williams got that chance after the aforementioned injuries to Jennings and never impressed or ran away with the job. Williams may wear number 44 for Big Blue like Ahmad Bradshaw once did, but he is a much different runner.
Williams seldom gets more than what is blocked for him and is an absolute zero in the passing game. Williams was able to find his way into the end zone seven times last season, but that was more of a product of game flow and lack of other options in the Giants backfield. You can give Williams a bump due to a year of NFL experience under his belt, he is no more than a draft and stash player. Even if he does end up with another chance as the workhorse back, there is not much that suggests Williams will be much better than he was last season.
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