Raanan: Fields ‘likely’ to be Giants’ No. 2 WR

Burns was among the key Giants who went down with injury in a blowout loss to the Rams. Burns suffered the sprain in the fourth quarter and needed help getting to the sideline. Harbaugh said the team diagnosed Burns with a low ankle sprain. That could mean he won’t miss much time. New York’s defense, which has struggled through two games — giving up the NFL’s fourth highest offensive success rate — could be even more vulnerable without Burns in the lineup.

Dart is set to undergo more testing on Tuesday after injuring his knee early in Monday night’s loss to the Rams. Garafolo said players usually take 4-6 weeks to recover from an MCL sprain, though the extent of Dart’s injury remains to be seen. Dart, according to ESPN’s Jordan Raanan, tried to talk Giants coaches into letting him re-enter Monday night’s game in the second half. Jameis Winston, who was miserably inaccurate and mistake-prone against the Rams, would figure to get at least a couple starts while Dart recovers. Winston should be picked up in superflex leagues ahead of the team’s Week 3 game against the Titans.

Fields struggled alongside the rest of the Giants in a game played mostly with backup quarterback Jameis Winston under center. Jaxson Dart departed after the team’s first possession with what looked like an MCL sprain based on the mechanism of the injury, something that could force missed contests from the normal starter. That would position Fields in a difficult spot to return usable counting stats in the short term. He gets the struggling Titans in Week 3, where he’ll be best left on fantasy benches.

Mooney played well behind Malik Nabers and rookie Malachi Fields but was able to cash in on a 33-yard reception to pad his counting stats in the loss. Fantasy managers of Nabers will want to track his status closely in the coming week after the talented youngster briefly departed with a shoulder injury. An absence could thrust Mooney into a near every-down role against the Titans in Week 3.

Nabers departed the game at the end of the first quarter with a shoulder injury but was able to return after missing only one drive. His putrid box score can largely be attributed to uneven quarterback play from backup Jameis Winston, whom came on in relief of the injured Jaxson Dart after the team’s first possession. Beyond the fact that fantasy managers were left with a near goose egg from their third round selection, Nabers could be forced to contend with backup-level quarterback play in the coming weeks considering the mechanism of Dart’s knee injury. Even so, it will be difficult to sit Nabers in a cake matchup with the Titans in Week 3, making him a classic hold-your-breath start.

Although fantasy managers are thrilled with the team-leading 10 targets, the nature of those targets is cause for concern considering the uneven play from backup quarterback Jameis Winston. Starter Jaxson Dart was forced from the game with a knee injury on the team’s first possession and it would not be shocking to see him miss games considering the mechanism of his injury, leaving the offense in the hands of the inconsistent Winston. Even so, fantasy managers will be thrilled to start Likely in a plus matchup against the Titans in Week 3, particularly considering the multitude of injuries at the position throughout the league.

The Giants’ game plan was thrown for a loop when quarterback Jaxson Dart was forced from the game on the team’s first possession and were largely unable to get anything going with Jameis Winston under center. The result was a haphazard scheme thrown together to minimize Winston’s exposure to a relentless Rams defensive front, which drowned the fantasy production of all parties, to include Skattebo. More startling to Skattebo’s fantasy managers was the involvement of Najee Harris in the red zone, who was unable to cash in on two carries from the six on consecutive plays in the second quarter. Skattebo gets a plus matchup against the Titans in Week 3, where he returns to a viable RB2 in fantasy circles.

Winston came on in relief of the injured Dart after the team’s first possession but never really got the wheels turning in the defeat. He made numerous errant throws and poor decision, as evidenced by the poor completion rate, while averaging only 4.1 yards per pass attempt. Most egregious was a red zone interception with the team down 14-0 in the second quarter, which occurred on a badly under-thrown ball directed toward alpha receiver Malik Nabers. Safety Javon Holland did his part to almost single-handedly keep the team in the game, picking off Matthew Stafford and then both forcing and recovering a fumble on consecutive possessions following Winston’s interception, acts that would ultimately prove futile considering the offense’s inability to move the football. Winston could be headed for a start in Week 3, pending the status of Dart, and gets a much more forgiving matchup against the Titans. Fantasy managers in a pinch could do worse than starting the veteran W-eater.

Ferguson entered the fourth quarter with a rather modest receiving line, with two of the incompletions directed towards him resultant of passes that hit him in the hands, with the third a poorly thrown pass from Stafford. He heated up in the final frame, highlighted by a five-yard touchdown reception on a crosser from the slot for his first touchdown of his sophomore campaign. Ferguson’s nine targets were one off the 10 of Davante Adams for the team lead in a game played without top aerial option Puka Nacua. Ferguson appears likely to have more spiked weeks like this in the future, although they could be more difficult to diagnose once Nacua returns and the offense doesn’t play quite as much from 12- and 13-personnel. Ferguson can safely be started as a viable tight end option in Week 3 against the Broncos, particularly considering the multitude of injuries at the position throughout the league.

Adams seamlessly stepped into the alpha role in the offense in the absence of Puka Nacua, routinely making absurd catches on the perimeter while also showcasing his adept route-running abilities in the open field. His first touchdown came on a deep post route following a double move, during which he strode beyond three defenders. He would cash in again from 11 yards out on a fade to the corner of the end zone. Adams remains a top-tier WR2 with WR1 upside when the Rams take on the Broncos in Week 3.