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Wide receiver has been a position of hidden depths for the New York Giants this season. There isn’t a marquee name on the depth chart, but the Giants have gotten unexpectedly positive production from a clutch of low-cost signings and waiver claims.
Richie James has perhaps been the best of the un-fancied bunch. He’s “arguably New York’s most reliable and consistent pass-catcher,” according to Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report.
James’ emergence could work against the Giants, with Knox believing NFC East rival the Dallas Cowboys should pounce to make the impending free agent “a complementary receiver” for CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup.
Giants Got Great Value from Unheralded FA
James didn’t arrive with much fanfare when he signed a one-year deal to swap the San Francisco 49ers for the Giants last offseason. He was expected to be a punt returner and occasional contributor in the passing game.
Things changed once Sterling Shepard and rookie Wan’Dale Robinson each suffered season-ending ACL injuries. While James has endured some inconsistencies along the way, the 27-year-old has made plays during the business end of the season, per Knox: “Over his past four games, James has caught 26 passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns. He has 569 yards on the season, which would make him Dallas’ second-leading receiver behind Lamb.”
He’s enjoyed his most productive outings in the last two games. They include Week 16’s eight-catch, 90-yard effort against the Minnesota Vikings, which featured this 33-yard grab along the sideline:
Catches like this one are why “James has also provided a stellar 119.6 passer rating when targeted in 2022.” That number might surprise some since James has also been troubled by drops, like on this critical third down against the Vikes, a gaffe highlighted by Empire Sports Media’s Alex Wilson:
Mistakes like this have generally been rare when James has played wide receiver. For the most part, the Giants have gotten a more than handsome return from a former seventh-round pick.
James’ lowly draft status belied his potential, though, with NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reporting how none other than five-time Pro-Bowler Steve Smith Sr. endorsed James’ talents during the latter’s debut campaign:
Garafolo tweeted while James was gashing the Indianapolis Colts for seven catches, 76 yards and a touchdown. His numbers helped the Giants win 38-10 and clinch a playoff berth for the first time since 2016.
Players like James performing above expectations are why the Giants have surprised the doubters and reached the postseason. He’s not the only hidden gem among the receiving corps whose future must be decided this offseason.
No-Name WRs Have Been Crucial for Giants
Darius Slayton is also a free agent, but the 2019 fifth-rounder has become integral in the Giants’ passing game. Slayton’s provided the vertical threat quarterback Daniel Jones has needed.
His 15.7 yards per catch average is an element the Giants would find difficult to replace. So is the toughness and sure hands provided by Isaiah Hodgins.
Signed off waivers from the Buffalo Bills in November, Hodgins has 33 catches for 351 yards and four scores. He’s made the tough grabs, like this one in Minnesota:
Plays like this are why Charlotte Carroll of The Athletic named Hodgins the Giants’ best out-of-nowhere contributor. Carroll included a quote from head coach Brian Daboll explaining why Hodgins has been such a good fit: “He was a good player at Oregon State. And then he played behind some pretty good players there, I would say, in Buffalo. And he kept a great attitude. He was on the practice squad, doing the things he needed to do to help the team. He knew our offense. He has a good skill set, and I’m glad we have him.”
Hodgins has also earned plaudits for the way he’s outplayed the big-ticket item among the Giants’ wideouts, Kenny Golladay. Wilson detailed how Hodgins has done more with less:
The ill-fated Golladay signing is a classic example of the Giants trying to solve a problem with money. It looked like being the only route to bolster this position in the offseason, but now the Giants should focus more on keeping core targets like Hodgins and James in the fold before making a splash in free agency or the 2023 NFL draft.
Letting James join a loaded Cowboys receiver group is something the Giants would soon come to regret.
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