Eli Manning (QB, NYG) - Week 4 Waiver Wire Pickups

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ANALYSIS: New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning played well Sunday, throwing for 297 yards and two touchdowns while going 25-for-29 passing. His 132.3 passer rating was his highest since Week 14 of the 2015 season, and his 86.2% completion rate was the second highest of his career after that same Week 14 game. Some of his performance can be attributed to weaknesses in Houston’s pass defense, while some of it can be attributed to Odell Beckham Jr. and Sterling Shepard. The good news is that Beckham and Shepard aren’t going anywhere, and they are good enough that the loss of Evan Engram won’t hurt Manning as much. The good news for Manning is that he won’t have to worry about J.J. Watt anymore, since Watt sacked him three of four times in this game. Manning did not look good in the first two weeks, but the offense around him (minus the offensive line) should be good enough to elevate him to fantasy starter levels. The Giants’ skill position players rival any NFL team.

It’s a juicy matchup for Eli next week at home against the Saints. Rumors of an improved Saints pass defense have been greatly exaggerated, as New Orleans has allowed 341.7 yards per game and ten touchdown passes thus far. They allowed Ryan Fitzpatrick to throw for 417 yards and four touchdowns, and Eli Manning is probably on a similar level to Fitzpatrick at this point in his career. As a one-week streamer Manning is great, but he does have a good matchup in Week 5 as well against the Carolina Panthers. Carolina allowed 352 yards to Andy Dalton in Week 3 and have shown the most weakness on defense through the air. Take things week-by-week with Manning, but other than divisional matchups with Philadelphia and Washington he has mostly easy opposing defenses all season.