The New York Giants will have a very deep and talented WR corps set up for the 2008 season. It all starts with 30-year old Plaxico Burress. Burress is a big, physical receiver at 6′5″, 232 pounds and he can outjump almost anyone that plays on defense. Burress played in all 16 games for the Giants last season and he caught 70 passes for 1,025 yards (14.6 avg) with 12 TD grabs. Look for Burress to put up big numbers in 2008 as the Giants’ won’t be throwing as much to the tight ends this year. Burress has now played in 118 games in his NFL career and he has caught 470 passes for 7,391 yards (15.7 avg) with 51 TD grabs.
33-year old Amani Toomer seems to be slowing down but he still is effective. Toomer played in 16 games for the Giants last season and he caught 59 passes for 760 yards (12.9 avg) with 3 TD grabs. Don’t look for Toomer to catch as many balls as he did last season as the Giants will turn to youth a little bit at the position. Toomer has now played in 174 games in his NFL career and he has caught 620 passes for 8,917 yards (14.4 avg) with 50 TD grabs. Toomer has also carried the ball 12 times for 110 yards (9.2 avg) with 1 TD run.
The Giants are expecting big things from 2nd year man Steve Smith who really stepped up in the post season. Smith only played in 5 games as a rookie for the Giants last season and he caught 8 passes for 63 yards (7.9 avg) without catching a TD. Look for Smith to catch a bunch of passes in 2008 for the Giants as he is a very skilled receiver.
Rookie Mario Manningham is a tad small at 6′0″, 178 pounds but he’s a playmaker. Manningham played in 12 games (all starts) with Michigan last season and he caught 72 passes for 1,174 yards (16.3 avg) with 12 TD grabs. Look for Manningham to have a chance to battle for the #3 job on the Giants as a rookie. Manningham played in 34 games (24 starts) in his career at Michigan and he caught 137 passes for 2,310 yards (16.9 avg) with 27 TD grabs.
Sinorice Moss better get his act together as the Giants have brought in a ton of competition for catches. Moss is very small at 5′8″, 185 pounds but he’s very fast. Moss played in 13 games for the Giants last season and he caught 21 passes for 225 yards (10.7 avg) without a TD grab. The thought here is that Moss will be buried on the depth chart for the Giants this season. Moss has now played in 19 games in his NFL career and he has caught 26 passes for 250 yards (9.6 avg) with 0 TD grabs.
28-year old David Tyree made the biggest catch of the Super Bowl for the Giants but he hasn’t done much in his career before that. It will be interesting to see where Tyree fits in with the Giants’ offense in 2008. Tyree played in 12 games for the Giants last season and he only caught 4 passes for 35 yards (8.8 avg). Tyree might have a hard time making the team but I have a hard time believing he won’t just because of his place in history for the Giants. Tyree has now played in 73 games in his NFL career and he has caught 54 passes for 650 yards (12.0 avg) with 4 TD grabs.
PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE 2008 SEASON: B