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The New York Giants went into their Week 5 game against the Dallas Cowboys already down Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton. They came out of the game down Saquon Barkley, Kenny Golladay, and maybe even their quarterback Daniel Jones.
As of right now, it looks like Barkley and Golladay are both out at least this week, and quite possibly Week 7 as well. Saquon suffered a low-ankle sprain, and estimates on his absence are anywhere from one to three weeks depending on who you ask. The team has yet to put him on injured reserve, so there's a good chance he misses just one or two games. Golladay hyperextended his knee in Week 5 and is also unlikely to play in Week 6, and very well could miss Week 7 also, much like Barkley. And like Barkley, he's dealt with his fair share of injuries the past couple of seasons, so the Giants could tread lightly with their rich investment.
Jones on the other hand is "on track with everything" and could return to face the Los Angeles Rams in Week 6, according to coach Joe Judge. Jones was ruled out of the Giants' game last week after suffering a concussion and is currently in the league's protocol. He'll have to pass through that in order to start this week. It sounds like it's truly 50/50 on whether or not Jones suits up for Week 6. Otherwise, it'll be veteran journeyman Mike Glennon.
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Kadarius Toney Making the Most of His Opportunities
With both Shepard and Slayton sidelined with their respective injuries in Week 4, Toney got the start alongside Golladay and speedster John Ross. All he did was go out there and lead the team in targets and targets per route run.
And then Shepard and Slayton both missed Week 5, and Toney was once again presented with a golden opportunity. That opportunity grew exponentially when both Barkley and Golladay had to leave the game early with their respective injuries. That led to an explosion. In fact, Toney led all receivers with a 46.4% target share prior to being ejected for throwing a punch. He earned each and every one of his 13 targets, just take a look at the diverse route tree:
Now it's onto Week 6. We know Golladay is unlikely to play, but Shepard and Slayton both returned to practice and are trending toward playing against the Rams this week. Shepard likely gets his slot role back, which is fine, especially if the Giants continue to move Toney all around the formation. Based on his monster performance in Week 5, it'd be a big mistake for New York to put the lightning back in the bottle. Chances are, Toney will once again play a major role in the Giants' offense in Week 6 vs. the Rams. But will it translate to production?
The Rams are a very good football team, but they're allowing the 10th-most passing yards per game (271) through five games. Since they're 4-1, a lot of those yards have come with teams trailing in the second half, but as fantasy managers, we don't care where the yards and points come from. As 9.5-point underdogs, the Giants are likely to be trailing in this game, which should mean more opportunities for Giant pass-catchers, led by Kadarius Toney. And it might not be a bad thing if Mike Glennon is forced to start for Daniel Jones.
Shepard, Slayton, and Golladay aren't exactly the epitome of health, so it'd be wise to not only hold on to Toney moving forward but to start him when one or multiple Giant receivers can't suit up on any given Sunday.
As for the other three, Shepard and Golladay are holds, while Slayton looks to be the odd man out. He had already been losing snaps to Toney in Week 2 when he played on just 57% of the snaps after playing on 70% of the snaps in Week 1. When all three are healthy, it's likely Golladay and Toney on the outside, with Shepard operating out of the slot. But remember, Toney is moved around the formation, and could also be utilized out of the slot due to his diverse skill set.
Devontae Booker Next Man Up in the Backfield
With Barkley likely to miss a game or two, Booker becomes the de facto RB1 for the G-Men. After Saquon went down in Week 5, Booker proceeded to play on nearly every snap. He rushed 16 times and was targeted four times. He scored a garbage-time touchdown but totaled just 58 yards from scrimmage on his 20 opportunities (carries + targets).
In Week 6 he'll face the Rams, who are allowing the 14th-most rushing yards per game (117.2). As previously mentioned, the Giants will likely be playing from behind in this game, much like they were against the Cowboys in Week 5. Because of his ability as a pass-catcher, Booker could very well see four to six targets in this game in addition to getting most of the carries out of the backfield. Without any reliable depth behind him, we can reasonably expect Booker to once again see the majority of the snaps and opportunities in Week 6. He may not eclipse 100 yards, but what makes him valuable is his every-down role in the offense, similar to what Saquon has when healthy.
It doesn't get any easier for Booker if Saquon is forced to miss Week 7 as well as the Giants face the Carolina Panthers, who are allowing the 8th-fewest rushing yards per game (94.2) through five games. But again, as long as Booker has the every-down role, it may not matter. He'll get the targets and goal-line snaps, and that's what matters in fantasy football.
Don't go overboard trying to trade the farm for Booker while Barkley is out, but if you grabbed him off the waiver wire, feel free to plug him into your lineup as a low-end RB2 even with the perceived "tough" matchups against the Rams and the Panthers.
As far as Saquon is concerned, the low-ankle sprain shouldn't be too concerning. Patient fantasy managers can look forward to very favorable matchups against the Kansas City Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders in Weeks 8 and 9 before the Giants' Bye in Week 10.
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