Brandon Myers not on same page as Eli Manning?
New York Giants tight end Brandon Myers (83) carries the ball against Denver Broncos linebacker Danny Trevathan (59) during the second quarter of a game at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
The New York Giants signed tight end Brandon Myers in the offseason with the hope that he could be a major part of the team’s passing attack, and they also had hope that he could improve significantly as a blocker. Neither has materialized for the Giants, as Myers has been a poor blocker and only has 23 receptions for 265 yards and a touchdown. It’s been a disappointing season for both the Giants and Myers, and it’s also difficult to discern how much of Myers’s lack of production is actually on the former Oakland Raiders TE.
According to the Newark Star-Ledger’s Dave Hutchinson , Myers is having a difficult time getting “on the same page” as star quarterback Eli Manning, and Hutchinson’s assertion would partially explain Myers’s lack of production. He has just 36 targets this season, which means that he is averaging just 4.5 targets per game. Giants tight ends coach Michael Pope told Hutchinson that the Giants are asking Myers to stay in and block more often, which doesn’t come as a surprise with the way the Giants offensive line has played (mostly due to injuries).
Pope then stated that Myers has made improvements as a run blocker and that his initial struggles were partially due to the fact that he was never asked to block much in Oakland (he had 79 catches there, so it was all for the best). Myers has improved as a blocker, but he is still a liability in that regard. His raw statistics (catch rate, yards per completion, drops) are all about average, so the real issue for Myers has been getting open and getting on the same page with Manning. There is some clear miscommunication between the two, but I think Myers’s numbers will improve as the season goes on. Will it be enough to make him a viable fantasy threat? Most likely not.
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