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When discussing the potential of the New York Giants’ offense in 2021, it’s easy to overlook third-year wideout Darius Slayton.
With the arrival of wide receivers Kenny Golladay and John Ross, the addition of tight end Kyle Rudolph, the return of running back Saquon Barkley and the draft selection of wide receiver Kadarius Toney, there’s a lot going on. It’s how Slayton gets lost in the shuffle.
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But as those of us at Giants Wire have said several times, Slayton is likely to benefit more from these arrivals than perhaps anyone not named Daniel Jones.
Because Golladay takes over as WR1 and Barkley will draw such attention, it should open things up elsewhere. Defenses will have to account for those two, as well as Sterling Shepard in the slot and Evan Engram wherever it is he lines up. Accordingly, Slayton will draw many favorable matchup and should excel as a result.
That’s certainly how Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports sees it playing out, naming Slayton a potential breakout player on the verge of a big pay day.
New York Giants: WR Darius Slayton
Current contract: Four years, $3.2 million (expires 2023)
The G-Men may have paid Kenny Golladay and drafted Kadarius Toney because they don’t believe Slayton alone — or in tandem with Sterling Shepard — can headline the WR corps. But he still probably doesn’t get enough credit for his upside as a No. 2/3, having topped 700 yards and 15 yards per catch in each of his first two years.
Slayton has played well over his first two seasons, but it’s easy to see there’s more upside. He’s not even scratched the surface of his potential ceiling and that’s saying something considering how anemic the Giants’ offense was a season ago.
Slayton will enter the 2021 regular-season still somewhat underrated, but that’s likely to change in short order.
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