2010 Fantasy Football: New York Giants Breakdown

May 23, 2010

Hello Giants Fans, I’ve noticed that the 2010 Fantasy Football Mock Draft rooms have been heating up. I know it is difficult to believe but ESPN already has their mock draft rooms up and running. It’s the same story with CBS Sports and their fantasy mock drafts. We are almost into June now and things are sure to heat up over the summer. The real 2010 NFL Draft has been over a couple of months now and the next significant time period will be training camp. There hasn’t been a release of those dates and locations as of yet but we know that the G-Men will be attending Albany this season for certain.

I am going to give you a list of the New York Giants players that will be worth having on your fantasy roster for the 2010 NFL season. I believe that the Giants wide receivers offer the best shot at making a difference on your team. I expect Easy Eli to have an improved year in 2010 and make the Pro Bowl. Clearly, the wide receiver group will benefit the most from Manning’s production on the field. I think drafters can get the New York Giants defense as a steal in the mid-to-late rounds. I expect the Giants defense to finish in the top ten for 2010. These are simply my thoughts on the 2010 possibilities for Big Blue. I’m sure this will help someone who reads this and decides they want to take a shot on some of these guys. Remember, this is designed to be a fun game, so don’t take it too seriously and enjoy yourself.

2010 Fantasy Football players on the New York Giants.

1. WR Steve Smith Smith is coming off a career season with Big Blue and he also made the pro Bowl in 2009. He is going to lose some passes to Hakeem Nicks but will still get enough to build on his numbers from last year. Look for 1,200 plus receiving yards and 10 TD’s from Smith in 2010.

2. QB Eli Manning – Manning is also coming off of a career year and I expect him to outperform 2009’s numbers and also make it to the Pro Bowl in 2010. I expect 4,000 plus yards and at least 30 TD’s from Manning in 2010.

3. WR Hakeem Nicks – I expect Hakeem Nicks to have a breakout season, by setting a new Giants record for receiving yards in a single season (currently 1,343 yards by Amani Toomer in 2002). This is another guy who could prove to be a steal around the 5th or 6th round of your draft.

4. RB Brandon Jacobs – Look for Brandon the Bull to return to form in 2010 with 1,000 yards rushing and 10 TD’s. You can easily get Jacobs in the 5th round in most drafts, I suggest you grab him or pay later.

5. RB Ahmad Bradshaw – Bradshaw will prove to have the skills to be a number one running back on any team. I predict he will have a 200 plus yard game during the 2010 NFL Season. I’m predicting 1,000 plus rushing yards and 5 TD’s in 2010.

6. TE Kevin Boss – Boss is about to have surgery on his ankle but should be ready for training camp. He is working his way up a short ladder of NFL tight ends. I’m guessing 600 receiving yards and 5 TD’s in 2010 for Boss.

7. New York Giants Defense/Special Teams – I am predicting the New York Giants defense will finish the 2010 NFL season in the top 10.

8. Wild Card Players – WR Mario Manningham, WR Ramses Barden, RB Andre Brown WR Victor Cruz and TE Travis Beckum.

Which New York Giants players do you deem worthy of a fantasy football roster spot? Do you play fantasy football? Check out the link in the comment area for a brand new fantasy sports site.

RD – NYGReporter.com


New York Giants Have Some Injured Players

May 22, 2010

The New York Giants have some players who are banged up and could miss playing time. The most serious of them all is backup offensive lineman Kevin Boothe. Boothe will be having surgery next week to repair a torn pectoral muscle and he will miss at least 4 months. This should open up an opportunity for one of the younger players to step up and give the team some depth at the offensive lineman position. It would not surprise me to see Giants GM Jerry Reese grab a free agent before the season started either. Protecting Eli Manning is priority number one when it comes to the offense.

Speaking of Eli Manning, one of his favorite targets will be going under the knife as well. Giants tight end Kevin Boss will be having surgery on his ankle and is expect to miss 4-6 weeks during his rehabilitation process. The reports are saying that he should be ready for the start of training camp. This is good news for Giants fans because Kevin Boss is more then just a safety valve for the offense. Boss showed his toughness last year by making some very difficult catches in traffic and holding onto the ball. Getting that kind of skill and toughness from the tight end position is a rarity. It sounds like Boss will not miss any playing time but if he has a set back, it could mean that Travis Beckum could see an increased role in 2010.

DT Jay Alford and RB Andre Brown are two players who missed the entire 2009 season, they were back at practice and reportedly feeling good. This is extremely good news for the fans and team because those guys just make us deeper and stronger at two positions that require depth. I’m curious to see what Andre Brown can do on the field and I hope that Jay Alford can return healthy and motivated. RB Brandon Jacobs and RB Ahmad Bradshaw also participated in practice, which is great news since they both had off season surgery as well.

The Giants have been very quiet when it comes to discussing safety Kenny Phillips. The fact that the team addressed the safety position so much during this off season doesn’t comfort fans in the least. Phillips is a difference maker and someone the G-men cannot afford to lose. If Phillips is unable to pay during the 2010 season, it would be a huge loss. If it goes deeper then that and Phillips’ career is in jeopardy, then this might be one of the saddest stories in recent NFL memory. One thing is for certain, Kenny Phillips is working his tail off to get back on the field.

What do you think about the latest New York Giants injury reports? Will Kenny Phillips play in 2010?

RD – NYGReporter.com


New York Giants 2010 NFL Season Predictions

May 18, 2010

Hello New York Giants fans, I thought we could take a look at current team and make some predictions. That means we hope to get some interaction with our readers and hear your opinions as well. You may not agree with us or some of the comments you read here but we ask that everyone remain respectful. I am going to be as honest and respectful as I can about the upcoming season. Let’s keep in mind that these are predictions and this is simply an exercise in entertainment. Enjoy!

– The New York Giants will finish the 2010 NFL season with a 11-5 or 12-4 record.

– The New York Giants will finish in 2nd place of the NFC East (Dallas wins out).

– New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning will improve on his career year numbers in 2009 (4,021 yards and 27 touchdowns, 14 interceptions, 93.1 QB rating) and make the NFL Pro Bowl in 2010.

– The New York Giants will make the playoffs in 2010.

– The New York Giants will win their first game of the 2010 NFL Playoffs.

– The New York Giants will lose their second game of the 2010 NFL PLayoffs.

– New York Giants wide receiver Hakeem Nicks will set a single season record for receiving yards and yards after catch (YAC yards).

– New York Giants wide receiver Hakeem Nicks will make the 2010 NFL Pro Bowl.

– New York Giants linebacker Clint Sintim will have a break out season.

– New York Giants running back Brandon Jacobs will rush for over 1,000 yards and have 10 touchdowns in 2010.

– New York Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell will give Big Blue a top five defensive backfield in 2010.

– New York Giants safety Antrel Rolle will make an immediate impact on the team.

– New York Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora will man up and have a career season in 2010.

– New York Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw will have 200 plus rushing yards in a single game.

– New York Giants wide receiver Steve Smith will beat his receiving numbers from the 2009 NFL season and make the 2010 NFL Pro Bowl.

– New York Giants wide receiver Ramses Barden will finish the 2010 NFL Season with 10 or more touchdowns.

– New York Giants will have a new punter named Matt Dodge when the 2010 NFL Season starts.

– The New York Giants will cut kicker Lawrence Tynes at some point during the 2010 NFL Season or immediately following it.

– New York Giants defense will rank in the top 10 during the 2010 NFL Season.

– New York Giants cornerback Terrell Thomas will make the 2010 NFL Pro Bowl.

– New York Giants will have five players make the 2010 NFL PRo Bowl.

– New York Giants General Manager Jerry Reese will win “GM of the Year” for the 2010 NFL Season.

Let’s hear what your predictions are for the New York Giants 2010 NFL Season. Do you agree with my predictions? Do you think we are wrong or most? Let’s hear your opinions.

RD – NYGReporter.com


The Curious Case of Barry Cofield

May 16, 2010

The 2010 NFL Draft ended three weeks ago and there are still some unanswered questions in my head. There is something that I still can’t wrap my mind around. Why in the world would the New York Giants consider trading defensive tackle Barry Cofield for a second round pick? At first, I thought it was a rumor or pure speculation but reports confirmed that the G-Men did indeed pursue a trade with the New Orleans Saints. I consider GM Jerry Reese to be a top five General Manager in the entire NFL but this trade makes absolutely no sense to me. The Giants drafted Cofield (6’4″ 306 pounds) in 2006 and he has only missed one game in his four years with New York. The 26 year old has been steady and strong in the middle.

What makes this even more bizarre is the fact that the team is in disarray at the DT position. Former Giant Fred Robbins left for the Rams, Jay Alford is returning from a season ending injury, Rocky Bernard is still a question mark and Chris Canty is still a mystery. Bernard and Canty were both plagued by injuries for most of the 2009 season as well. The rest of the DT group are strictly depth players or possible future stars. Why would the team consider trading their only reliable defensive tackle for an unproven prospect? Even if Jerry Reese knew he would be taking a rookie defensive tackle early in this draft, why wouldn’t he have offered someone else for the trade? I can think of half a dozen players (perhaps not worth a second round pick) that could be offered up instead of Cofield. This is the first time I can honestly say that Jerry Reese might have slipped up. I’m very happy that this trade did not go through and the fans can only hope that Cofield doesn’t take this personally, although I don’t know how you can do that as a player, who has been as loyal to a team as Cofield has. Hopefully, all of the parties involved can move past this and prepare for another run at the playoffs in 2010.

DT Barry Cofield was re-signed to a one year contract. I don’t know what the team is looking at that we don’t see but I would have given him a three year contract.

Do you think that trading Barry Cofield for a second round pick would have been a good move? Do you find this attempt to be curious to say the least?

RD – NYGReporter.com


Tom Coughlin’s Head Coaching Job is in Jeopardy? Really?

May 14, 2010

The haters have already started their assault on New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin. After a brief two year hiatus (2007 and 2008) from the negative talk about Tom Coughlin being on the “hot seat”, it seems that following a disappointing 2009 campaign (injury plagued season), the boo birds have picked up where they left off. I’m amazed at all of the negative chatter across the world wide web on this subject. Not only that but I’m shocked at how quickly some fair weather Giants fans can throw their team leader under the bus. Where is the loyalty and respect from these people I wonder? If Coughlin wins the Super Bowl again this year and proves these haters wrong, they will simply apologize and wait for another poor season before crying again. This is a disgusting cycle that some have become eerily accustomed to. To all of you haters I say, let it go.

Tom Coughlin (Giants head coach since 2004) will go down in history as one of the best New York Giants coaches in history. In fact, he might find himself directly behind Bill Parcells at some point, sitting comfortably in the number two spot. Everyone would love nothing more then to win a Super Bowl every single year. Get over it, it can never happen.  The NFL is far too competitive and father time takes his toll on all of us. Some make the argument that Coughlin had his success in 2007 and 2008 simply because of defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. I can see why they would think that since the G-Men had two outstanding seasons while he was a part of the team. Some might forget that the Giants went to the playoffs for two years straight before Coach Spags arrived. There is no question that Spags had a lot to do with the success but it was more then that. It was a team effort as it always must be in order to be successful.

I hope that all of the haters will remain silent and let the team do their job. I think the Giants will be back in the playoffs in 2010 and I believe they may have found a solid replacement for Coach Spags in Perry Fewell, after a dismal year under former DC Bill Sheridan. Let’s give these guys some time to show what they can do before throwing them under the bus.

Tom Coughin’s career record with the New York Giants.

2004 – 6-10 – 2nd place in NFC East

2005 – 11-5 – 1st place in NFC East – Playoffs

2006 – 8-8 – 3rd place in NFC East – Playoffs

2007 – 10-6 – 2nd place in NFC East – Playoffs – Super Bowl Champs

2008 – 12-4 – 1st place in NFC East – Playoffs

2009 – 8-8 – 3rd place in NFC East

What do you think about the negative talk about Tom Coughlin’s job being in jeapordy? Do you agree with all of the hype or do you think the man deserves a break for everything he has accomplished with the team?

RD – NYGReporter.com


New York Giants Re-Sign WR Derek Hagan

May 13, 2010

The New York Giants continued to tweak their roster by signing five year NFL veteran WR Derek Hagan to a one year contract. Hagan (6’2″ 215 pounds) hasn’t done much for Big Blue since he came to the team from the Miami Dolphins in 2008. In 2009, Hagan had 101 receiving yards and 1 touchdown. I expect to see Hagan used primarily on special teams but he could get into a few games, if he can impress the coaches. Most Giants fans would prefer to see him do well (myself included), so that the team can be even more effective in the passing game. QB Eli Manning can use all of the help he can get and the re-signing of Hagan shows that Jerry Reese is very intent on keeping Easy Eli happy. A deep group of wide receivers ensures that the team will not be without a backup in that particular area.

There will be a lot of talented receivers on the team in 2010. Steve Smith and Hakeem Nicks will more then likely take the one and two spot, while the battle for the third slot will be between Mario Manningham and the rest of the wide receiver group. Ramses Barden is still a very intriguing prospect because of his size and strength. One could say that this year’s first round pick, Jason Pierre-Paul could be viewed in the same light as Barden. Barden was brought in as a project because he came from a small school, exactly the same situation as Pierre-Paul finds himself in. QB Eli Manning had a career year in 2009, even though the team finished with a disappointing record. The WR corps was a big part of his progress and they should all flourish once again in 2010.

What do you think about the G-Men re-signing WR Derek Hagan? What do you think about the entire wide receiver group for the 2010 NFL season?

RD – NYGReporter.com

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The New York Giants Youth Movement

May 11, 2010

The New York Giants are a very young team. I was extremely surprised to see just how young, when I checked out the roster this morning (courtesy of Giants.com). I decided to look deeper into the college career of Linval “The Anvil” Joseph today and was going to write an article about him (I’ll get to you soon Linval), when I noticed the “years of NFL experience” next to each players name. Needless to say, I was very surprised at what I read. I started to wonder if I was just getting old and if things had always been this way or if this truly was a youth movement going on in New York. I understand that a player with five years of NFL experience is technically a veteran but I would hardly say that he was an old player. In fact, I would say a player at the five year experience mark is just hitting his prime. I used the five year mark as a starting point and worked my way up the ladder of experience. Players at the four year mark and below would certainly be considered “young” in football terms.

The one thing I learned by taking a closer look at the roster was, the oldest three players and spots on the list, all belong to the offensive line. The New York Giants offensive line is one of the best in football and I am not suggesting that they can’t play anymore, I want to make that clear. There is only one player on the team with ten years of NFL experience and only two players on the team, with nine years of experience. All three of them are starting offensive linemen. Giants GM Jerry Reese addressed the offensive line last year by drafting OT William Beatty and again this year by drafting OG Mitch Petrus. I would love to see the current offensive line play for another decade but it is just not going to happen. There are currently 37 players on the roster with four years or less NFL experience.

Personally, I do not look at this as a bad thing. I think the team is doing exactly what they need to do, in order to make another run at the Super Bowl. I have complete faith in Jerry Reese and the rest of the Giants staff. I also disagree with all of the media hype about Tom Coughlin’s job being in jeopardy this year. The man won the Super Bowl in 2007, coached the team to a 12-4 record in 2008 and was plagued by injuries in 2009. Last year was not coach Coughlin’s fault in my opinion. But enough about my opinions, let’s take a look at what the Giants roster tells us.

The Number of players with NFL experience, by years.

10 years of NFL experience – 1 player

9 years of NFL experience – 2 players

8 years of NFL experience – 1 player

7 years of NFL experience – 2 players

6 years of NFL experience – 4 players

5 years of NFL experience – 6 players

What do you think about the youth movement going on in New York? Is this something that will help or hurt the team during the 2010 NFL season?

RD – NYGReporter.com


Can CB Aaron Ross Make a Comeback in 2010?

May 10, 2010

I would like to talk about CB Aaron Ross for a bit today. This is one of the most intriguing issues the Giants will face in 2010. Ross was a budding star before his injury plagued 2009 season. Reports came out saying that he was unsure about his NFL career and if he even wanted to play anymore. Not exactly the type of talk you want to hear from your starting cornerback. Most of what came out of Ross’ mouth, was due to the depression he must have felt about not being able to play. He is an extremely competitive guy and I imagine that the frustration got the better of him that day and the media ran with his comments. Ross is a Super Bowl Champion and knows what it takes to get there again. He must know that he is an important part of the puzzle and that the team needs him. We know his heart is there, now we need to know that his body can do the work.

CB Terrell Thomas has emerged as the number one cornerback on the Giants defense and I’m curious to see who will be starting opposite him. If Ross is healthy, he will certainly get his starting role back but if he can’t go, things will get extremely interesting. There are only seven cornerbacks on the current roster and three of them are rookies. CB Corey Webster (the senior CB with five years of NFL experience) would seem to be the obvious choice to replace Ross if he can’t play.

Let me be clear, I am a fan of Aaron Ross. Like many Giants fans, I would love nothing more then to see him running around and making plays for Big Blue. When I spoke with Michael Eisen and John Schmeelk of Giants.com last week, I brought up the subject of Ross’ health and didn’t receive a definitive answer from them. I didn’t get the feeling that the guys were hiding anything but rather, they truly don’t know what will happen. Eisen said that Ross continues to work hard on his rehab and we will have to wait and see how that translates to the field. A bad hamstring can be a lingering problem and something that could resurface from time to time.

What do you think about the current cornerback situation in New York? Do you think the team needs to grab another free agent CB or are you confident with the players currently on the roster? How important is it that CB Aaron Ross return to the field?

RD – NYGReporter.com


New York Giants Make Roster Moves 5-7-10

May 7, 2010

The New York Giants signed two players today who were attending the rookie mini camp. This is quite an achievement for these two young men because it truly is a long shot to get signed when players take this route. The G-Men also released a player today as well. The roster is slowly beginning to take shape and with each new roster move, the Giants are showing the areas the feel need to be addressed.

The first player signed today is a linebacker from Kentucky named Micah Johnson (not to be confused with the WR prospect Micah Rucker). Johnson is 6’1″ 262 pounds and played most of last year with a strained MCL, something that might have kept teams from taking a closer look at him. The Giants must have seen something they liked or they would not have signed him. The linebacker position will be under a microscope this year and most fans are extremely curious to see who will be the starting MLB when the season starts.

The Giants also signed a quarterback from Wake Forest named Riley Skinner. The 24 year old QB is 6’0″ 210 pounds and is the winningest quarterback in the school’s history. The biggest knock on Skinner (as told by the player experts) will be his height. I have said it before and I will say it again, I’m not sure how well Jim Sorgi can perform on the field during crunch time. I am not calling the man out but when you are Iron Man Peyton Manning’s backup QB, you pretty much watch the game from the bench. Everyone knows he will be an incredible asset as Eli’s study partner but I am very curious to see what he can do when given an opportunity to play, something that all Giants fans hope will never be necessary. Who will eventually end up the true backup QB to Eli Manning is anyone’s guess at this point. QB Rhett Bomar seems to have the inside track for getting in the games.

QB Dominic Randolph was waived by the Giants today.

Two Big Blue linebackers Bryan Kehl and Phillip Dillard, have decided to switch jersey numbers. Kehl will wear No. 55 from now on, while Dillard will rock No. 53. There was no mention of any side payments or favors that were required in order to switch, which has become a custom in the NFL when vets deal with rookies.

RD – NYGReporter.com


New York Giants Legend George Martin Becomes CEO

May 7, 2010

George Martin is one of my favorite all-time New York Giants. He was a terrific athlete on the field and when his football career ended, he continued to be a leader in the community. George Martin has done extensive charity work in the tri-state area and has recently been named CEO of the NFL Alumni Inc. Martin will be in charge of looking out for all former NFL players and making sure that they are being taken care of. I can’t think of a better man for the job. George Martin is also the former president of the NFL Players Association. The 57-year old former defensive end has not slowed down one bit. He has been one of the most dedicated leaders in getting the 9/11 first responders to the front of Americans minds. Martin walked across the entire United States (New York to San Diego) raising millions of dollars for medical care, for the brave men and women who risked their lives to save others during the 9/11 tragedy. I have tremendous respect for Mr. Martin and the NYG Reporter gives him our full support.

There seems to be a renaissance of awesome 1980’s Giants players in the news this past week. Leonard Marshall was also in the papers for taking a job as the head coach of Hudson Catholic high school in Jersey City. Marshall was a part of the Big Blue Wrecking Crew of the 1980’s, just like Martin. Mr. Marshall is going to improve that team and instill some valuable football knowledge in those kids. We wish him the best of luck in his new venture.

They say that things usually happen in 3’s. The third installment of the 80’s flashback occurring recently is not a good tale at all. All world defensive star Lawrence Taylor was arrested yesterday for allegedly raping a minor in a New York hotel room. I want to be clear that this is an ongoing case and nothing has been confirmed and he has not been convicted yet. It is an ongoing investigation and will take months to gain some closure. Taylor was released on $75,000 bail today and is due back in court on June 10, 2010. Taylor is no stranger to having issues with the law. I think I can speak for most Giants fans when I say that he is making it very difficult to stick up for him, due to all of the problems surrounding his life. If the allegations are true, then it will be a very sad day for myself and many Giants fans because we can no longer praise a man who has raped a women. I truly hope that Taylor will be proved innocent and allow the fans to continue to enjoy his memory, as the greatest defensive player in the history of the NFL.

If there are any kids reading this story, I would encourage you to look at role models such as George Martin and Leonard Marshall, athletes who give back to the community and keep God very close to their hearts. There comes a time when you have to look at man’s life in it’s totality and not just what they do on the field, ice, ring or court. Their career’s will certainly end one day but the men and women will continue their lives in the world. Hopefully, the kids will realize that you will always be held accountable for your actions, no matter how talented you are or how high your star rises.

RD – NYGReporter.com