Faceoff - Who is the Giants' top WR?

Posted 6/24, exclusive to Footballguys.com

Steve Smith - by Sigmund Bloom

Plaxico Burress is not going to with the Giants this year, so someone has to step up in his absence. The Giants have spent five Top 100 picks on wide receivers in the last four years - there's no shortage of young talent on the roster. When you look at what we've learned about the Giants wide receiver corps, both on and off the field, one name stands out from the rest - Steve Smith.

No, it's not because he shares a name with one of the best wideouts in the game. It's because Smith has already established himself as an important piece of the passing game, and because the Giants have given off signals that they value him more than any incumbent wide receiver on the roster.

Steve Smith first got on the radar of most NFL fans with his clutch performance in the 2008 Super Bowl run. He converted third downs in three out of the four playoff wins, including one on the game winning drive in the Super Bowl, and he also made the catches to set up Lawrence Tynes miss at the end of regulation in the NFC Championship game at Green Bay. Eli Manning continued to look Smith's way in the 2008 regular season, so much so that Smith led the team in catches. Manning continued to lean on Smith in key situations, targeting him 32 times on third and three or longer, and Smith snagged the ball 20 times.

There's reason to think Smith will get even more opportunity after leading the team in catches last year. He accomplished that playing mainly from the slot - so you know he's fearless over the middle - and this year he's going to start and play outside. You might have doubts about his ability to adjust, but Jerry Rice doesn't. Rice is Smith's mentor, and he had this to say about him last year: "You're starting to see only a little of what this guy is capable of. He has the ability to work outside. I've seen his route running outside, so I know he's capable of it."

In addition, the Browns came calling about trading Braylon Edwards to the Giants this offseason. They reportedly asked for the second and fifth acquired from the Saints in the Jeremy Shockey deal, and Steve Smith. The Giants countered by replacing Smith with Mario Manningham or Domenik Hixon, and the Browns said no. That should show you how Smith is regarded in New York and around the league.

The Giants expect Smith to step up this year, the Browns coveted his skills, and his mentor, the greatest to ever play Smith's position, says he's just getting started. If you're going to take a chance on a Giants receiver in your draft this year, it should be Steve Smith.

Domenik Hixon - by Andy Hicks

A lot of people, upon seeing the Giants taking two receivers early in the 2009 draft in Hakeem Nicks and Ramses Barden, are prepared to dismiss Domenik Hixon as a viable fantasy option this year. That would be a big mistake. Hixon came out of nowhere to be given the starting role in relief of Plaxico Burress and impressed in his first real action as a wide receiver in the NFL.

The Denver Broncos drafted two wide receivers in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL draft. One was Hixon and the other was Brandon Marshall. Hixon was lost before his rookie season even began with a foot injury, while Marshall quickly became one of the best receivers in the league. Hixon was cut early in the 2007 season by the Broncos, but their loss became the Giants gain as he wound up being part of the surprise Super Bowl winning team that defeated the Patriots. From part-time special teamer to starting wide receiver in one offseason is a pretty impressive achievement, especially considering the presence of Amani Toomer, Steve Smith and others on the roster, but whenever Burress missed time, there was Hixon to fill the breach. In the seven games that Hixon started he recorded 32 catches for 453 yards and a couple of touchdowns. Projected over a full season, Hixon would have registered over 70 catches and 1,000 yards, which is fantasy WR2 territory.

With the loss of both starting receivers in Toomer and Burress, the Giants probably have three guys as leading contenders for the starting spots: Hixon, Nicks, and Smith. Hixon has to be the early favorite for one starting position as Nicks is likely to be eased in slowly, while Smith has a career yard-per-catch average of fewer than 10 yards, with only one TD. The other WRs on the roster, Mario Manningham, Barden, Sinorice Moss and David Tyree, are all long-shots to start. Of course events will have to be closely followed during training camp as the Giants receiving situation could alter daily, but it would surprise if Hixon were not an opening day starter.

When considering Hixon in comparison to the rookies, Smith and others, it also must be noted that Hixon will still only be 24 by the time the season starts. He has already impressed head coach Tom Coughlin with his progression and further development could see him be more than just the leading Giants receiver, he could be a starting WR for your fantasy squad. With his current ADP that's a solid risk to take in the latter stages of your fantasy draft.

Mario Manningham - by Cecil Lammey

Manningham got off to a rough start in the eyes of the league when he lied about drug use in college, only to have his drug test from the combine come back positive for marijuana. He then sent a letter to all 32 teams admitting he lied. Manningham claims he failed two drug tests at Michigan. The Giants selected him in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft, and it took some time for him to get up to speed in the NFL.

He was a nonfactor in his rookie season and finished the year with only six targets, four receptions, 26 receiving yards, and zero TDs. However, he ended the season on a high note in a Week 17 matchup versus the Bucs. It was Manningham's best game of the year as he had two receptions on two targets for 21 yards. Both receptions came on second-and-short, and each receptions moved the chains for a first down.

With Amani Toomer and Plaxico Burress gone, the Giants need their young WR corps to pick up the slack. Manningham has an edge in the competition over rookies Hakeem Nicks and Ramses Barden because he already knows the system. When coming out of Michigan there were some in the scouting community that compared him to a young Isaac Bruce.

Manningham has good hands and can consistently pluck the ball out of the air. He shows the concentration to make the tough catch in traffic, and has the toughness to absorb big hits and keep playing. A savvy route runner, Manningham regularly separates in man-on-man coverage and effectively bursts out of his cuts. Even though he's not the biggest receiver, he is aggressive when running after the catch. Once the pass is secure he immediately turns upfield and looks for positive yardage. He makes quick cuts, has good instincts and the field vision to break down pursuit angles on the run. Manningham does have some trouble in press coverage because bigger cornerbacks can push him off his route. Despite his rookie struggles and past off field behavior, he is one of the most polished receivers on the team.

He has worked hard this offseason to become a better punt returner, but he could end up winning a starting job for the Giants even though he's currently listed as third on the depth chart. The team may decide that he works best out of the slot, but that doesn't mean that he still couldn't be the most productive out of all the receivers in New York.

Hakeem Nicks - by Jeff Tefertiller

Those doubting Hakeem Nicks were silenced in the bowl game against West Virginia. In that contest, Nicks was nothing short of amazing. He caught everything in sight. The stats from that game are eye-popping. Nicks caught eight passes for 217 yards and three touchdowns. Yes, the numbers are correct - he did average 27 yards per reception with the defense focused on stopping him. Here is the catch most remember. Notice how he made the incredible reception, then a spin move to pick up the first down. He routinely made the difficult catch in traffic. For those wanting to see more footage on the rookie, check out this link (you may want to turn down the volume depending on your taste in music). He was not a household name coming into the 2008 season. But, the numbers speak volumes. He caught 68 balls for 1,222 yards and 12 touchdowns. This was good for an 18 yards per catch average for the season. Think about that for a second. Every time he caught a pass, the gain averaged 18 yards.

The departures of Amani Toomer and Plaxico Burress open the door for Nicks. Before the NFL Draft, the Giants were rumored to be looking at acquiring Braylon Edwards and Anquan Boldin, but neither deal transpired. The Giants saw the obvious need at the position. The coaching staff and front office realized that none of the current players on the roster had the ability to be a pass catcher that opposing teams feared.

Each of the other receivers has obvious flaws in their game. Steve Smith has not proven to be anything more than a possession receiver. He struggles making yards after the catch. His career 9.8 yards per catch average and only one touchdown in 65 receptions bear this out. Domenik Hixon has the speed and ability to get open down the field but struggles with concentration and catching the ball in traffic. Hixon is more of a complementary receiver than a primary pass catcher. Mario Manningham has struggled with maturity and dedication to start his professional career. This is the same guy who lied to teams at the NFL Combine about smoking pot, then had to recant. The former Michigan Wolverine also struggled with his dedication to the playbook and refining his craft as a receiver. He has too far to make up in order to be the WR1 for the Giants any time soon. The team only has one player on its roster that has the ability to be the WR1, and that is Hakeem Nicks. Yes, he is a rookie. But, his talent level exceeds that of the other receivers on the Giants' roster.

If the team was happy with the wide receivers already on the roster, they would not have pursued finding Burress' replacement. Hakeem Nicks is a future stud in the NFL. He should get an opportunity to start from day one. He offers the sure hands of Smith along with the play-making ability of Hixon. Hakeem Nicks is a guy to watch this season and the future.