Hakeem Nicks' (pictured) injury leaves Mario Manningham as the last man standing in the Giants' receiving corps.
Hakeem Nicks has emerged the past two years as a legitimate receiving threat in the Giants’ pass attack, filling a void left by Plaxico Burress. Now, Nicks is out for at least three weeks due to compartment syndrome, and the G-Men’s already thin receiving corps is left even thinner as he joins possession receiver Steve Smith on the sidelines.
The last man standing of the regulars is Mario Manningham, who was frustratingly invisible at times during Sunday night’s loss to the Eagles. Nicks’ injury is undoubtedly a big blow for the Giants, and even if Nicks can be back with three or four weeks, as they’re saying, historical precedence for this injury indicates that it may be difficult for him to round back into top form upon returning.
The good news, in the immediate short-term, is that the Giants face the Jaguars and Redskins the next two weeks, teams that boast two of the worst pass defenses in the league. They should be able to get by with the likes of Derek Hagan, Travis Beckum, et al for those matchups. Beyond that, though, things could get hairy against the Vikings, Eagles and Packers, depending upon whether Nicks and Smith return and whether they’re 100 percent healthy.
From a fantasy perspective, this should suit Manningham well, as he should get more down-field looks — which suits his skill set better — that would normally go to Nicks and fewer possession looks that would normally go to Smith. Expect big weeks from him against Jacksonville and Washington. Also, neither of those defenses is especially adept at stopping the run, and the Giants will likely turn to the ground attack with their receiving corps decimated, so Ahmad Bradshaw and, to a lesser extent, Brandon Jacobs should do quite well as a result.
View the Original article
