64-year old head coach Tom Coughlin could be on the hot seat this year with the Giants.  The Giants missed the playoffs last year despite finishing with a 10-6 record.  The Giants are now 65-47 (58%) during the regular season under Coughlin.  They are also 4-3 (57.1%) in the post-season under Coughlin and they won the Super Bowl in 2008 over the then undefeated New England Patriots.  With all of the injuries that the Giants’ have suffered on defense, Coach Coughlin and his staff are really going to have to motivate the troops on that side of the ball if they are going to get back to the playoffs in 2011.

The New York Giants are three deep in solid RBs, so the running game will likely be hitting on all cylinders in 2011.  25-year old Ahmad Bradshaw tested the free agent market before re-signing with the Giants.  He will be the main back in the running attack in 2011.  Bradshaw played in 16 games (11 starts) for the Giants last year and he carried the ball 276 times for 1,235 yards (4.5 ypc) with 8 TD runs.  He also caught 47 passes for 314 yards (6.7 avg) last year.  Bradshaw will be kept fresh once again this year by Brandon Jacobs.  Bradshaw has now played in 58 games (12 starts) in his first four years with the Giants and he has carried the ball 529 times for 2,558 yards (4.8 ypc) with 17 TD runs.  He also has caught 75 passes for 575 yards (7.7 avg) with 1 TD grab so far in his NFL career.

29-year old Brandon Jacobs is a battering ram who gives the Giants a different look when he’s on the field.  Jacobs played in 16 games (5 starts) for the Giants last year and he carried the ball 147 times for 823 yards (5.6 ypc) with 9 TD runs.  He also caught 7 passes for 59 yards (8.4 avg) last year.  Jacobs can handle a heavy workload if something happens to Bradshaw.  He wears down defenses when he’s on the field as he takes the fight to them.  Jacobs has now played in 86 games (42 starts) in his first six years in the NFL and he has carried the ball 926 times for 4,278 yards (4.6 ypc) with 49 TD carries.  Jacobs has also caught 65 passes for 602 yards (9.3 avg) with 3 TD grabs in his career.

26-year old Danny Ware played in 14 games (0 starts) for the Giants last year and he carried the ball 20 times for 73 yards (3.7 ypc).  He also caught 7 passes for 67 yards (9.6 avg) last year.  Ware is a very capable RB and he will likely step up if either Bradshaw or Jacobs get injured in 2011.  Ware has now played in 29 games (0 starts) in parts of four years in the NFL and he has carried the ball 35 times for 161 yards (4.6 ypc) with 1 TD run.  He has also caught 10 passes for 82 yards (8.2 avg) in his NFL career.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE GIANTS RBS IN 2011:  A

The Giants have three QBs on their roster that have each started at least 12 games apiece and that is very rare around the NFL.  30-year old Eli Manning is the starting QB for the Giants.  He played in 16 games (all starts) for the Giants last year and he completed 339 of 539 passes (62.9%) for 4,002 yards with 31 TD passes and 25 INTs (85.3 QB Rating).  Manning also carried the ball 32 times for 70 yards (2.2 ypc) without a TD run last year.  Manning is a solid starting QB but he’s nowhere near the QB that his brother is.  Eli Manning is the ultimate gunslinger at QB and that has led to a lot of interceptions.  That being said though, he is still 60-43 (58.3%) as a starting QB for the Giants and he has led them to a Super Bowl win.  Manning has now played in 105 games (103 starts) in his first 7 years in the NFL and he has completed 1,932 of 3,332 passes (58%) for 22,646 yards with 156 TD passes and 113 INTs (80.2 QB Rating).  Manning has also carried the ball 158 times for 350 yards (2.2 ypc) with 3 TD runs so far in his NFL career. 

33-year old Sage Rosenfels will be the backup once again in 2011 and like Manning, he’s a gunslinger type at QB.  Rosenfels played in 12 games (0 starts) for the Giants last year but he didn’t attempt any passes.  He also carried the ball 3 times for -3 yards (-1.0 ypc) last year.  Rosenfels has now played in 44 games (12 starts) in his first 9 years in the NFL and he has completed 351 of 562 passes (62.5%) for 4,156 yards with 30 TD passes and 29 INTs (81.2 QB Rating).  Rosenfels has also carried the ball 48 times for 95 yards (2.0 ypc) with 1 TD carry so far in his NFL career.  Rosenfels is 6-6 (50%) as a starting QB in the NFL.  He is a very solid backup.

The Giants recently signed 32-year old David Carr and he will likely serve as the #3 QB in 2011.  He played in 1 game (0 starts) for the Niners last year and he completed 5 of 13 passes (38.5%) for 67 yards with 0 TD passes and 1 INT (23.6 QB Rating).  Carr has now played in 92 games (79 starts) in his first 9 years in the NFL and he has completed 1,351 of 2,264 passes (59.7%) for 14,433 yards with 65 TD passes and 71 INTs (74.9 QB Rating).  Carr has also carried the ball 302 times for 1,331 yards (4.4 ypc) with 9 TD runs so far in his NFL career.  Carr is 23-56 (29.1%) as a starting QB in his NFL career so far.  Carr has played with the Giants before so he should be able to get back up to speed soon.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE GIANTS QBS IN 2011:  B

The Giants will likely stage a battle between 26-year old WR Sinorice Moss and 25-year old running back Danny Ware to see who will return kickoffs for them in 2010.  Moss played in 8 games for the Giants last season and he returned 6 kickoffs for 109 yards (18.2 avg).  He has now played in 37 games in his 3 years with the Giants and he has returned 24 kickoffs for 465 yards (19.4 avg).  Moss is trying to hang on to his roster spot on the Giants and the best way for him to do that is to win the kickoff return job.  Danny Ware returned 2 kickoffs for 37 yards (18.5 avg) last season for the Giants.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE GIANTS KICKOFF RETURNERS in 2010:  C-

The Giants are going with essentially the same cast on the offensive line in 2010 so they need them to play better.  LT David Diehl appears out of place at tackle.  Diehl would be better inside where he has help because he can’t handle fast pass rushers.  LG Rich Seubert has seen better days as he’s getting long in tooth.  Center Shaun O’Hara made it to the Pro Bowl last season and he’s still a solid player.  RG Chris Snee is the best lineman the Giants have as he’s just plain nasty.  His game is run blocking and he’s really good at it.  RT Kareem McKenzie is also a good run blocker but his pass blocking has started to slip. 

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE GIANTS O-LINE in 2010:  C+

63-year old head coach Tom Coughlin is the epitomy of a tough guy.  It’s often a my way or the highway approach but it seems to work good with the Giants.  The Giants were only 8-8 last season due to some guys having down years and others being injured.  But I have a feeling that they are laying in the weeds ready to pounce on the competition.  Coughlin has a 55-41 (57.3%) record during the regular season in his six years with the Giants.  He is also 4-3 (57.1%) in the post season and he has won a Super Bowl with the Giants (2007).  Coughlin has been a NFL head coach for 14 years now and he has a regular season record of 123-101 (54.9%).  He also is 8-7 (53.3) during his career in the post season.  Coughlin knows how to have his team ready to play and that won’t be changing this year or any time soon.

32-year old kicker Lawrence Tynes turned in a great season for the Giants in 2009.  He played in all 16 games and he connected on 27 of 32 field goals (84.4%) last season.  He also made all 45 of his extra points as he finished up with 126 points last year.  Tynes has now played in 82 games in his NFL career and he has made 119 of 147 field goals (81%).  He has also made 225 of 231 extra points as he has scored 582 points in his NFL career.  The Giants are confident that they won’t leave many points on the field with Tynes making the kicks.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE GIANTS KICKERS in 2010:  A

The New York Giants’ WR corps is led by three outstanding players who are all 25 years old or under.  25-year old Steve Smith stepped up big time for the Giants last season earning his first trip to the Pro Bowl.  Smith played in 16 games (15 starts) for the Giants last season and he caught 107 passes for 1,220 yards (11.4 avg) with 7 TD grabs.  He has now played in 37 games (19 starts) in his three years with the Giants and he has caught 172 passes for 1,857 yards (10.8 avg) with 8 TD  grabs.  Smith is a fearless receiver on routes over the middle of the field and he has an excellent set of hands.

22-year old Hakeem Nicks really had a solid rookie year for the Giants in 2009.  Nicks played in 14 games (6 starts) for the Giants last season and he caught 47 passes for 790 yards (16.8 avg) with 6 TD grabs.  He also carried the ball 2 times for 8 yards (4.0 ypc) last season.  Nicks is a good deep threat and he’s a big guy who creates mis-matches down the field.  Look out for him in 2010 and pick him in your fantasy draft if you can.

24-year old Mario Manningham really stepped up for the Giants last season after showing next to nothing in 2008 as a rookie.  Manningham played in 14 games (10 starts) for the Giants last season and he caught 57 passes for 822 yards (14.4 avg) with 5 TD grabs.  He has now played in 22 games (10 starts) in his two years with the Giants and he has caught 61 passes for 848 yards (13.9 avg) with 5 TD grabs.  Manningham will likely be the #3 WR for the Giants this season and he should be one of the best in the league in that role.

25-year old Derek Hagan enters training camp #4 on the depth chart but he will have to fight to keep his spot.  Hagan played in 16 games (0 starts) for the Giants last year and he caught 8 passes for 101 yards (12.6 avg) with 1 TD grab.  He has now played four years in the NFL playing in 52 games (1 start) in which he has caught 61 passes for 746 yards (12.2 avg) with 4 TD grabs.  Hagan is a possession receiver who lacks big time deep speed.

26-year old Sinorice Moss has been a bust to this point in his NFL career.  Moss played in 8 games (0 starts) for the Giants last season and he only caught 1 pass for 18 yards but it went for a TD.  Moss has now played in 37 games (2 starts) in his four years with the Giants and he has caught 39 passes for 421 yards (10.8 avg) with 3 TD grabs.  Moss will be fighting for his NFL career in training camp.

24-year old Ramses Barden didn’t play much as a rookie for the Giants last year.  He played in 3 games (0 starts) for the Giants last season and he caught 1 pass for 16 yards.  It will be hard for Barden to move up the depth chart.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE GIANTS WRs in 2010:  A

26-year old Kevin Boss really came on last season for the Giants.  He played in 15 games (all starts) in which he caught 42 passes for 567 yards (13.5 avg) with 5 TD grabs.  Boss has now played in 43 games (32 starts) in his three years with the Giants and he has caught 84 passes for 1,069 yards (12.7 avg) with 13 TD grabs.  Boss could be a huge weapon in the passing game for the Giants in 2010 as teams will be more worried about their WRs.

23-year old second year TE Travis Beckum will battle fellow 2nd year TE Bear Pascoe for the #2 TE job in 2010.  Beckum played in 15 games (2 starts) for the Giants last season and he caught 8 passes for 55 yards (6.9 avg).  Pascoe played in 4 games (1 start) for the Giants last year and he caught 1 pass for 9 yards.

24-year old TE Scott Chandler hasn’t played in a game in the NFL since 2007.  That year he played in 1 game for the Chargers and he didn’t catch any passes.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE GIANTS TEs in 2010:  B

28-year old fullback Madison Hedgecock is a 6’3″, 266 pound bruising fullback.  His game is clearing things out in the running game for Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw and he’s really good at his job.  Hedgecock played in 16 games (9 starts) for the Giants last season.  He didn’t get any carries last season for the Giants but he did catch 4 passes for 23 yards (5.8 avg) with a TD grab.  Hedgecock has now played in 80 games (44 starts) in his NFL career and he has carried the ball 3 times for 2 yards (0.7 ypc).  He also has caught 35 passes for 225 yards (6.4 avg) with 2 TD grabs in his career to date.  Look for the Giants to throw Hedgecock a bone once in a while by throwing a pass to him to reward him for his solid blocking.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE GIANTS FBs in 2010:  A-