Who will be the Giants’ Number-One Receiver?

This far into the offseason, most attentive New York Giants fans could name you Big Blue’s 2023 Week-1 starters with at least 90% accuracy. Sure, there are a few starting spots, such as the second inside linebacker, the second safety, and left guard, which could be considered up for grabs. For the most part, though, Giants fans know who’ll be lining up against the Dallas Cowboys on September 10th.

There is one position, however, which remains especially cloudy ahead of training camp: wide receiver. The Giants added a bunch of names to the position group which last year wound up relying on career special teams and practice squad players. But none of those names resemble anything close to a certifiable number-one option. New York is hoping someone will step up as that true number-one receiver this offense needs to reach it’s potential.

So, let’s go over some of the candidates to be the Giants’ leading receiver next season, and consider how each player’s potential ascendancy would affect New York’s offense.

The Incumbent: Darius Slayton

The safest but also least exciting possibility is Slayton, who led the Giants in receiving last year despite having to take a paycut to remain on the team and receiving zero targets over the first three weeks. He has four seasons of established rapport with quarterback Daniel Jones under his belt, and has led the team in receiving in three of those four years. He signed a two-year, $12 million contract with New York during free agency. That’s not a major investment but gives him poll position for a starting spot in this hodgepodge of Giants wideouts.

Slayton has never had more than 800 yards receiving or eight touchdowns in a single season, and it’s doubful this deep into his career he’ll explode for a thousand-plus-yard, double-digit touchdown season. If Slayton leads the Giants in receiving again, it likely means none of the Giants’ other receivers were able to make a leap.

The Underdog Story: Isaiah Hodgins

In desperate need of receiver help, the Giants claimed Hodgins off the Buffalo Bills’ practice squad midway through last season. He wound up starting five games for New York down the stretch, and went off for 105 yards and a touchdown in New York’s Wild Card victory over the Minnesota Vikings. Hodgins re-signed with the Giants on a cheap, one-year contract this offseason. He’s hoping to build off his positive momentum from late last season.

Hodgins is a big-bodied, possession receiver without much big-play ability. The Giants’ brass has made it clear they want this offense to be faster and more explosive this season. If Hodgins ends up as Big Blue’s top receiver, that’ll be great for him but probably means the Giants weren’t able to unlock the explosive downfield passing game they want.

The Rookie: Jalin Hyatt

As mentioned above, one of the Giants’ stated goals this offseason was to add speed and big-play ability on offense. There is no better demonstation of that intent than the selection of Hyatt in this year’s draft. The Giants clearly coveted Hyatt, as they traded up 16 spots in third round to secure him. Looking at his production from his final year at Tennessee, it’s no wonder why. Hyatt won the Biletnikoff Award as the most outstanding receiver in college football, thanks to his whopping 18.9 yards per catch and 15 touchdowns. Hyatt possesses game-changing speed and deep-ball ability, but he fell to the third round because many question if he can become a complete, three-level threat.

Hyatt emerging as New York’s top receiver is best-case scenario. If he pops as a rookie, that means this offense actualized its big-play, high-octane hopes. It also likely means the concerns over Hyatt’s ability to beat press coverage and run intricate routes were overblown, and the Giants could have a bonafide star on their hands. Of course, a third-round rookie leading a team in receiving is a borderline pipe dream, but there’s always a chance.

The Sophomore: Wan’Dale Robinson

The Giants invested a second-round pick in Robinson just one year ago, so it’s certainly possible he’ll be heavily featured in the passing game this season. The diminutive receiver out of Kentucky started slow as a rookie thanks to a knee injury suffered in Week 1. Robinson eventually had his breakout game in Week 11, when he caught nine passes for 100 yards. Unfortunately, that was the same game he suffered a season-ending torn ACL. It’s not clear when Robinson will be fully healthy, and there’s a chance he won’t be ready for Week 1.

Robinson is a small, shifty slot receiver. It’s rare to see those types of receivers become a team’s top yards producer. If he does become Big Blue’s top receiver, it probably means New York’s outside guys were injured or disappointing.

The Newcomer: Parris Campbell

Campbell signed a one-year, $5 million deal with the Giants this offseason, and represented their biggest free-agency acquisition at receiver. The former Indianapolis Colt was a second-round pick in 2019, but had struggled to stay healthy up until last season. He finally had a breakout of sorts last year, starting 16 games and catching 63 balls for 623 yards. While that may still seem like modest production, we have to adjust for the Colts’ atrocious quarterback situation last year. If Campbell stays healthy in Brian Daboll’s offense in New York, he’ll be set up for a career season.

There are both welcome and unwelcome outcomes that have Campbell as the Giants’ leading receiver this year. He has the pedigree and inside/outside versatility to become a valuable weapon in Daboll’s offense. It’s not outside the realm of possibility that a healthy Campbell in a finally-favorable situation could exceed 1000-yards receiving. It’s also possible he matches his production from last season, and ends up being the best of a mediocre bunch.

– Ryan Cuneo is the Managing Editor of Full Press Giants. He covers the New York Giants. Like and follow on Follow @ryan_cuneo Follow @FullPressGiants and Facebook.