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New York Giants Week 20 Fantasy Analysis

January 17, 2008 @ 05:24:10

By Jack Douglas
Edited by Herija C. Green

New York Giants Fantasy Matchups - Week 20

Opponent: at Green Bay Packers

The Giants (12-6), the fifth seed in the NFC playoffs, journey to the frozen tundra of Green Bay, Wis., to take on the Packers (14-3) this week in another game where they will be the underdog seeking an upset. Amazingly, the Giants have lost just one road game all season. In fantasy terms, the Giants have been getting solid play from quarterback Eli Manning, running backs Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw, wide receiver Amani Toomer and their team defense (including special teams). To win this week, it would appear they must count on these same performers to come through this week. The Packers will be at home, where they seldom lose. The weather may be one of the deciding factors this week, especially if the bitter winter chill and other wintry conditions manifest themselves this Sunday night.

Quarterback

Table: Per-Game Statistics - Weeks 16-19

Player	G	Comp/G	Att/G	Pass Yds/G	Pass TDs/G	INTs/G	Rush Yds/G	Rush TDs/G	PH
Eli Manning	4	15	23	177.5	2.00	0.75	3.8	0.00	X

Last week against a tough Dallas Cowboys defense, Manning went 12-for-18 for 163 yards and two touchdowns as the Giants used a ball control offense and rugged defense to win again. In Week 2, when these teams met, Manning was 16-for-29 for 211 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Manning has been playing well all through the playoffs. He also played well in Week 17 when the Giants gave the New England Patriots all they could handle in a 38-35 loss. It is likely the Giants will try to utilize a ball control offense once again so Manning is likely to put up numbers similar to last week's Dallas game. If the weather in Green Bay is cold and windy this weekend, obviously then Manning will probably slide some. He rates this week as a weak play as a No. 1 level quarterback.

Table: Opponent vs. Position

Team	G	Comp/G	Att/G	Pass Yds/G	Pass TDs/G	INTs/G	Rush Yds/G	Rush TDs/G
Packers	3	16	32	180.3	1.00	0.67	-0.3	0.00

The Packers defense will likely be aided by cold, wintry weather this weekend. Against opposing quarterbacks, the Packers give up modest yardage in the air and only one passing touchdown per game over the last month. At home in January, the Packers should present a stout challenge to Manning and the Giants passing game.

Running Back

Table: Per-Game Statistics - Weeks 16-19

Player	G	Util/G (%)	RZ Util/G (%)	In-5 Util/G	Rush Yds/G	Rush TDs/G	Rec/G	Rec Yds/G	Rec TDs/G	PH
Brandon Jacobs	4	19.25 (35.96)	3.25 (23.38)	0.50	75.0	1.00	2.25	17.8	0.50	N/A
Ahmad Bradshaw	3	14.33 (20.08)	4.33 (23.38)	0.33	83.7	0.33	0.67	5.0	0.00	N/A

Jacobs is still the main running back for the Giants. Last week against the Cowboys, he rushed 14 times for 54 yards and had the game-winning score. He also caught one pass for five yards. Against the Packers this week, Jacobs rates as a No. 1 level play.

Bradshaw has come along nicely for the Giants late in the season. Last week in Dallas, Bradshaw carried the ball six times for 34 yards and caught one pass for six yards. Bradshaw has shown he can break out and take it to the house, and the Giants have shown in the playoffs that they are not afraid to have him carry the ball even late in the game. This week, Bradshaw is best rated as a No. 2 option for fantasy purposes.

Table: Opponent vs. Position

Team	G	Att/G	Rush Yds/G	Rush TDs/G	Rec/G	Rec Yds/G	Rec TDs/G
Packers	3	25.3	70.0	0.67	3.00	40.0	0.00

The Packers have been stingy in the last three games in terms of rushing yards allowed to opposing running backs, though this is somewhat offset by the 40 receiving yards per game they have given up during that time. Since the Giants will probably want to control the clock and the game with a running attack this weekend at Lambeau Field, it is likely the Packers will face liberal utilizations of Jacobs and Bradshaw.

Wide Receiver

Table: Per-Game Statistics - Weeks 16-19

Player	G	Targets/G (%)	RZ Targets/G (%)	In-5 Targets/G	Rec/G	Rec Yds/G	Rec TDs/G	PH
Plaxico Burress	4	5.50 (10.27)	1.75 (12.59)	0.75	2.50	33.2	0.50	X
Amani Toomer	4	6.25 (11.67)	1.25 (8.99)	0.50	5.00	73.5	0.75	X
Steve Smith	4	3.50 (6.54)	1.25 (8.99)	0.00	2.50	26.5	0.00	N/A
David Tyree	3	1.00 (1.40)	0.33 (1.80)	0.33	0.67	1.0	0.00	N/A
Domenik Hixon	4	0.00 (0.00)	0.00 (0.00)	0.00	0.00	0.0	0.00	N/A
Mike Jennings	0	0.00 (0.00)	0.00 (0.00)	0.00	0.00	0.0	0.00	N/A

Burress (ankle) has been quiet lately, but he is always a big-play threat in this offense. This week, he is rated as a No. 2 level wide receiver.

Toomer has been very solid lately. Last week, his four catches for 80 receiving yards and two touchdowns were instrumental in the Giants' victory over the Cowboys. He rates as a weak play No. 1 level fantasy receiving threat this week against Green Bay.

Smith continues to play well in his rookie season. Last week, he made four catches for 48 receiving yards but no touchdowns. He has shown the ability to catch the ball in traffic and also when he has to leap high to get the ball. Smith is the No. 2 or No. 3 receiving threat this week for the Giants.

Wide receiver Sinorice Moss (back) has not played in any of the Giants' playoff games this season. He may not play this week, but you should be checking the injury reports for more information close to Sunday. Even so, Moss should be benched this week as he would probably be the fourth option at wide receiver this week and unlikely to produce much even if he plays.

Tyree, Hixon and Jennings are not likely to play for the Giants as wide receivers this weekend in Green Bay, though they have been playing well on special teams. None of them should be on your fantasy squad at this time.

Table: Opponent vs. Position

Team	G	Rec/G	Rec Yds/G	Rec TDs/G
Packers	3	11.33	129.3	0.67

In the last month (three games) the Packers have bent some on pass defense against enemy wide receivers but have not broken much, yielding less than one receiving touchdown per contest. They should be a tough matchup for the Giants wide receivers this week.

Tight End

Table: Per-Game Statistics - Weeks 16-19

Player	G	Targets/G (%)	RZ Targets/G (%)	In-5 Targets/G	Rec/G	Rec Yds/G	Rec TDs/G	PH
Kevin Boss	4	2.50 (4.67)	0.50 (3.60)	0.25	1.75	20.8	0.25	N/A
Michael Matthews	4	0.25 (0.47)	0.00 (0.00)	0.00	0.00	0.0	0.00	N/A
Darcy Johnson	0	0.00 (0.00)	0.00 (0.00)	0.00	0.00	0.0	0.00	N/A
Jerome Collins	0	0.00 (0.00)	0.00 (0.00)	0.00	0.00	0.0	0.00	N/A

Since tight end Jeremy Shockey (fibula) was placed on Injured Reserve, Boss has stepped in nicely for the Giants. Considering he is just a rookie and came from unheralded Western Oregon, he has been a pleasant surprise for the Giants. He rates as a weak play as a No. 1 level tight end this week.

Matthews is good enough to play in the games, but he is not being utilized enough to obtain some decent fantasy statistics. He should remain on your fantasy bench, if you even have him at all.

Johnson and Collins should not currently be on your fantasy roster.

Table: Opponent vs. Position

Team	G	Rec/G	Rec Yds/G	Rec TDs/G
Packers	3	2.00	11.0	0.33

The Packers have been very strong against enemy tight ends. That trend is likely to continue this weekend when they host the Giants. Boss is still a rookie and with Shockey (fibula) out for the rest of the season, the Packers are likely to get the best of this matchup.

Place Kicker

Table: Per-Game Statistics - Weeks 16-19

Player	G	FG/G	FG Att/G	XP Att/G	XP/G	Kick Pts/G
Lawrence Tynes	4	0.50	0.50	4.00	4.00	5.5

Tynes is a No. 1 level play this weekend, but then, there are only four kickers expected to play. Watch the weather conditions in Green Bay. If the game is played in cold, wintry conditions, that should impact this matchup negatively for Tynes.

Table: Opponent vs. Position

Team	G	FG/G	FG Att/G	XP Att/G	XP/G	Kick Pts/G
Packers	3	2.00	2.00	2.00	2.00	8.0

If the Giants can move the ball, Tynes may be able to exceed his average over the last four games, as the Packers are yielding 2.5 more kicking points per game than Tynes is averaging over the last month.

Defensive Team/Special Teams

Table: Per-Game Statistics - Weeks 16-19

Team	G	Off Pts Allowed/G	Net Yds Allowed/G	Sacks/G	INT/G	Fum Rec/G
Giants	4	23.2	310.2	1.75	1.50	0.50

Last week, the pressure the Giants defense put on the Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo was likely the deciding factor in the game. They led the league in sacks in the 2007 regular season. Packers quarterback Brett Favre, playing at home, is the third mobile signal caller the Giants have faced in the playoffs. They beat the other two (Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jeff Garcia and Romo), so this should be an interesting matchup. This game may well be decided on the question of whether or not the Giants can bring enough pressure against Favre. The Giants are a No. 1 level team defense, including their good special teams play. On the negative side, they have serious injuries to address (particularly in the secondary), but they managed to overcome them last week in beating the Cowboys.

Table: Opponent Offense vs. Defense

Team	G	Off Pts/G	Net Yds/G	Sacks Allowed/G	INT Thrown/G	Fum Lost/G
Packers	3	27.7	358.7	1.00	0.67	1.00

The Packers offense looked dominant against the Seattle Seahawks in their Divisional Round victory, scoring touchdowns on six straight possessions to turn a 14-point deficit into a 22-point lead. They do a good job of protecting Favre, yielding just one sack per game over the last month (three games). They have thrown less than one interception per game and lost one fumble per contest during that span. Somehow this week, the Giants need to bring lots of pressure against the Packers offense to have their best chance to win. Against Dallas last week, the Giants defense came alive in the second half and started getting to Romo. As the game wore on, Romo got less and less effective. The Giants are likely to try the same tactic this week.

Author Bio

Jack Douglas

Jack Douglas is an attorney and a freelance writer who has been playing fantasy football and baseball since 1991. He has played in many different leagues using different rules and has captured several championships. He has been a KFFL Contributor since 2000