The Giants have been moving the ball fluidly the past two weeks and after Thursday's game they'll be a rush to obtain some of the Giants' offensive players who may not be on a roster in some leagues.Â
QB Eli Manning completed 28-of-39 passes for 300 yards, four touchdowns and an interception in New York's 45-14, Week 4 win over the Redskins, adding a one-yard rushing touchdown. Manning's "interception" was a pass that got ripped out of Rueben Randle's hands in the end zone. Eli has shouldered the blame for no shortage of picks in his career, but this wasn't one of them. Since getting walloped by the Lions in Week 1, Manning has looked reborn in new OC Ben McAdoo's quick-hitting system, posting an 8:3 TD:INT ratio while averaging 270 yards. The G-Men aren't just paying lip service to going uptempo, and it's dramatically improved Manning's game. An offensive line that's actually blocking hasn't hurt, either. Manning should keep rolling in Week 5, when the G-Men host the defense-less Falcons.
Fennelly: Eli has been so sharp he's given me very little to write about these days. He has been near perfection, and I'm beginning to think this just might be the tip of the iceberg.
TE Larry Donnell caught 7-of-8 targets for 54 yards and three touchdowns. The 6-foot-6, 265-pound Donnell was taking names in the red zone, boxing out and skying for touchdowns. Three-score nights are always fluky, especially for third-year undrafted free agent tight ends, but there's nothing fluky about Donnell's emergence as a chain mover and end-zone target for Eli Manning. He's a massive human being, one with strong hands and decent movement skills for his size. Donnell should settle in as a back-end TE1, but he's clearly not a fantasy fad.
Fennelly: A lot of people felt he had the attributes to do the job, all he needed was to get out on the field and show it. He's done that, and more. The expectation was that Donnell could catch a pass here and there. Well, he's looking more like a weapon every week and a dangerous one at that.
RB Rashad Jennings rushed 13 times for 55 yards. Jennings lost three yards on his lone reception. His only other target was a dropped touchdown. Curiously, Jennings' final touch came midway through the third quarter, but it appeared to be nothing more than the G-Men resting a veteran back in a blowout four days after he took the rock 34 times. The scoreboard read 31-14 when Jennings checked out. Rookie Andre Williams and Peyton Hillis were called on to kill the clock. Reactionary fantasy owners will no doubt panic, but there appears to be zero reason for worry. A volume back doing everything that's been asked of him, Jennings will remain in the RB1 conversation against the Falcons' shaky defense in Week 5.
Fennelly: He's not going to get 176 yards every week, or drop a sure TD that often, either. Jennings is a solid fantasy option. He gets the tough yards and can take it to the house on occasion. Great signing by the Jints.
WR Victor Cruz caught 6-of-10 targets for 108 yards. One of Cruz's missed connections was a brutal third-down drop on the Giants' opening series, but he was much better thereafter. Cruz was taking short passes and making people miss. The 100-yard effort was his second straight after a ragged Weeks 1-2. Along with the rest of the Giants' offense, Cruz has awakened as new OC Ben McAdoo's system starts to click. He'll be a high-end WR2 against the Falcons' shaky defense in Week 5.
Fennelly: Very few have the ability to make tacklers miss like Victor does. He was in full stride when he dropped that pass and who knows where that play would have ended up. With more options becoming available, Cruz will see less eyeballs each week from defenses from here on in, so he's in for a productive season.
WR Rueben Randle caught 8-of-10 targets for 89 yards. Randle was inches from two touchdowns, but continues to have tough luck near the end zone. One of Randle's missed targets was a pass he caught for a score, only to have it speared out of his hands by a helmet before he "completed the catch." Randle's final grab was a 21-yarder where he was tackled at the two-yard line. Inexplicably, Larry Donnell caught three of Eli Manning's four scores. The good news is, Randle is finally on the same page with Eli, and operating well within the flow of the Giants' new offense. There's WR2 hope for him yet.
Fennelly: Like I said in my postgame, RR is looking much more comfortable in the offense, getting to his spots and making some pretty grabs. The back shoulder catch kind of tells you the light has gone on for Rueben.
RB Andre Williams rushed 15 times for 66 yards and a touchdown. Williams' lone target in the passing game resulted in a horrifying drop. It was the only touch of gray on an otherwise fantastic evening. With the G-Men pile-driving Washington in the second half, Williams took a load off for starter Rashad Jennings, notching his first career touchdown in the process. Williams' power shined through, as he was paving over Redskins defenders for tough yards in obvious rushing situations. Williams remains a mere handcuff behind workhorse Jennings, but is carving out a future in New York.
Fennelly: Not getting the surge through the line like he did in college, but that was expected. He is a high-motor, powerful inside runner that can wear down a defense in the second half of games. How he fans out as a fantasy option remains to be seen. Will the Giants continue to use him on the goal line? Will he just get 2nd half opportunities? We'll see. I think if he could catch the ball better, he would get more reps.
Giants TE Adrien Robinson caught his first career pass. Robinson's 15-yard catch, and lone target, was over two years in the making. It came deep in a blowout, and after Larry Donnell and Daniel Fells combined for four touchdowns. Robinson won't come into fantasy value this season.
Fennelly: Or any season, I'm afraid. Donnell and Fells have left ARob in the dust. Many were surprised he even made the team. But since he's here, he will get some chances, but not enough to pique the interest of fantasy owners.
