New York Giants wide receiver Sterling Shepard has missed five-consecutive games and six of his potential 10 games over his 2019 campaign due to multiple concussions.
The head injuries were enough to get fans and media wondering about the wideout’s playing future. not just this season, but for good.
However, while many believe Shepard would be shut down in what has become a bit of a lost season for the G-Men, the team apparently has different plans.
Shepard cleared concussion protocol on Friday, and will indeed be available for the Giants Week 12 bout against a stingy Chicago Bears defense.
Does Shepard’s return to the Giants lineup mean he deserves to return to your fantasy football starting lineup? Let’s discuss.
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Sterling Shepard’s Fantasy Outlook vs. Chicago Bears
Sterling Shepard makes his much-awaited return to the playing field after a five-game hiatus. His arrival could not have come at a better time, as the team will be without matchup nightmare Evan Engram, and his backup for that matter, due to injuries.
Engram’s unavailability could actually work in Shepard’s favor. See, Shepard and fellow wideout Golden Tate both operate off of extremely similar playing styles and tend to do most of their damage out of the slot. With that said, when Tate signed with New York, the first thing that many fans and media personalities worried about was the possibility of their abilities overlapping, along with potentially crowding the middle of the football field.
We’re still unaware of how Tate and Shepard will operate together, as they have not played a full game together due to Shepard’s injuries and Tate’s early-season suspension. With that said, without Engram, who plays a pseudo slot receiver position, there should be more than enough room for Shepard and Tate to operate on Sunday.
However, while Shepard and Tate may work well off of one another, a matchup against the Chicago Bears leaves much to be desired from a fantasy perspective. Only the all-worldly New England Patriots have surrendered fewer fantasy points to opposing wideouts this year than the Bears. The team has allowed one lone receiving touchdown to a wideout since Week 3, while only one receiver has eclipsed 69 receiving yards against them over the past four games.
Shepard had seen nine targets come his way in each of his three previous games prior to injury. Wide receivers to receive nine-plus targets against Chicago this season haver averaged an impressive 20.24 fantasy points.
Should You Start or Sit Sterling Shepard in Week 12?
It’ll be interesting to see how Shepard is used within the offense, as Golden Tate has certainly looked the part of a WR1 with Shepard out of the lineup. However, the team is too hungry for playmakers not to feature one of their most talented players.
Shepard should see around 7-10 targets on Sunday and finish as a low-end WR3 in PPR scoring formats against a Chicago Bears defense that has had their fits against high-volume receivers.
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Sterling Shepard Fantasy: Start or Sit Giants WR in Week 12?