Why tight end Evan Engram might be Giants' No. 1 receiver
Evan Engram has his goals. He doesn't like to talk about them but when asked if reaching 1,000 yards receiving this season is among them, even he can't help himself and deny it's on the list.
"You can say it's up there," the explosive New York Giants tight end said.
It's a lofty goal. Engram barely got halfway there (577 yards) in an injury-filled 2018 season and only seven tight ends have been able to top 1,000 yards receiving over the past nine years.nfl nike jerseys cheap china
Engram could join them this season considering his talent and the circumstances, which have a strong chance to make him their top pass-catching option. Their so-called No. 1 receiver. The opportunities should be there.
The Giants traded star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. this offseason and his replacement, Golden Tate, is suspended the first four games of the season for violating the league's policy on performance-enhancing substances. That leaves Sterling Shepard and a bunch of veterans (led by Cody Latimer and Bennie Fowler) who have yet to prove they can be consistent playmakers at wide receiver.
If the summer told us anything, it's that quarterback Eli Manning will be looking at his tight ends and running backs often. Specifically, Engram and Saquon Barkley. They looked to be Manning's most popular targets throughout training camp. It sets the stage for Engram -- who led the NFL averaging 4.4 yards of separation per target last season -- to have a massive season.
"That's just our position. In this offense, tight end is the No. 1 option on a lot of plays," Engram said. "Obviously our quarterbacks go through their progressions, but I'm going to have a lot of opportunities, [Rhett Ellison] is going to shock a lot of people. There is a lot around the tight ends in this offense. We're going to have a lot on our plate each week and we're going to get it done."cheap nike nfl jerseys paypal
It's only possible if Engram stays healthy. He missed five games last season with various injuries and was managed carefully this summer after a minor hamstring problem in the spring. The Giants even went as far as keeping Engram out of live drills on the second day of training camp to manage his workload. That is not the normal handling of a 25-year-old tight end. It's an approach used primarily for vital players.
Engram noted there were things he identified this offseason that he could be doing better as a professional. Things that he could control to take care of his body.
He's put a stronger emphasis on his sleep (deep sleep, REM sleep) and now has a chef who cooks him fresh dinners. He even has a whole recovery room set up in his house, complete with foam rollers, Normatec boots and an inversion table.
