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The New York Giants have had significant depth issues at wide receiver for the last few years. They haven't been able to find anyone to emerge as a legitimate passing-catching threat to make their offense truly dangerous.
They do have what appears to be a real NFL quarterback in Daniel Jones, and a finally healthy stud running back in Saquon Barkley. Now they need is help at WR, and many thought a player who could potentially be that missing piece was Sterling Shepard. Due to injury, he hasn't been able to stay on the field consistently for years, and there are questions about his availability moving forward.
This leaves fantasy managers wondering about his status for 2023. Is Shepard injured? Will he be ready for the start of the season?
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Sterling Shepard Injury Status for Fantasy Football
Sterling Shepard Injury News
Shepard has only played in 10 of the Giants' 34 games the past two seasons and hasn't completed a full season since 2018. He is clearly prone to ailments, and that has fantasy managers concerned. Shepard is one of the most talented wide receivers in the NFL, but also one of the most injury prone.
Is he worthy of a draft pick this August? Will he even be able to stay on the field for once? His believers are optimistic that the 30-year-old will one day show the world what he's capable of, but realists say that is never going to happen.
Obviously, fantasy owners want to wait until training camp gets closer, and more importantly, the start of the 2023 season to make their final judgments. But the last two seasons have not been kind to the Giants wideout. In 2021, Shepard's season ended in December after he tore his Achilles, and this year, it all came to an end after suffering a torn ACL in his knee in Week 3 versus Dallas.
Will Sterling Shepard Be Ready For The Start Of The 2023 Season?
One thing we know for certain is that his teammates love him, and they want him back in the blue, white, and red. What we don't know, however, is how healthy he will be for the rest of his career. He has not proven reliable, and his recent history does not provide optimism.
As the 40th pick in the second round of the 2016 NFL draft, the Giants selected the 5' 10 WR out of Oklahoma University. Using such high draft capital signaled to fans that the team believed this player had the chance to become something special. But number 87 has never had the opportunity to make his imprint on the NFL because his body hasn't allowed him to do so.
He is set to become a free agent next month and the Giants have to decide if he is worth the high risk he brings, or if it's better to set him free and let another team worry about his health. The smart move would be to let him spread his wings and see if he can fly for the first time in his career.
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