If Week 1 taught us anything about who Eli Manning wants to target in the passing game this year, it's TE Evan Engram will definitely see his fair share of opportunities through the air.
Engram led the Giants with 14 targets, 11 catches, 116 yards and the lone touchdown catch of the game for the Giants. And numbers like that should continue for the third-year Ole Miss product that was drafted with the hope of putting up numbers like this.
With Sterling Shepard out with a concussion for this week's matchup against the Bills, Engram may be relied on even more by Manning when he drops back to pass. Cody Latimer was upgraded to active, but he only saw three catches on his eight targets. Engram was creating problems for the Cowboys' linebackers, finding opening in the middle of the field to gain some solid yardage.
The Bills' defense, a solid unit themselves, will be focused on Engram and Saquon Barkley all game long. But Engram has faith in the Giants' game plan that should give him opportunities to make more plays in the team's home opener.
"That's just trusting the game plan," Engram told reporters this week. "The coaches will draw up a really good game plan for us to learn and attack all week. We're going to get a lot of different looks-the Bills are a real physical, downhill defense, they send a lot of blitzes, and they were one of the best defenses in the league last year, and they had a pretty good game this past Sunday. So, it's going to have to be an all-around effort for everybody, and guys are going to have to step up and make plays when the opportunities come."
After an up-and-down season last year for Engram, his confidence must be very high after that first game. He struggled to find any rhythm last year after injuries plagued him, but coming out of the gate hot, it sets the tempo for more good things to come.
Y'all weren't ready for us 🥶#GiantsPride | #NYGvsDAL pic.twitter.com/qx5GC1WPYq
- New York Giants (@Giants) September 8, 2019
But Engram has always been a player that takes it one week at a time, and doesn't look into the numbers he puts up on the board. He's simply doing his job and wants to help contribute to a win -- something the Giants will aim for at home today.
"I don't think about it like that," he said when asked if he thinks he'll have a good year based on his stats thus far. "I made the most out of the opportunities that came my way. Each week, I'm just going to continue to be a big playmaker and understand that when I do my job well, whether it's in the run game, pass game, it gives my team the best opportunity to win."