In a Giants season that has been forgettable at best, the one bright spot for New York has been Odell Beckham Jr.
After missing the season opener with a left ankle injury and being used conservatively in Week 2, the fourth-year receiver returned to his stellar self in Week 3. He caught two touchdowns and was fined for a touchdown celebration. In Week 4, he racked up 90 yards. While New York lost all these games, at least Giants fans could tune in to watch one of the three best receivers in the NFL each week.
In the team’s Week 5 27-22 loss to the Chargers, Beckham injured his ankle late in the fourth quarter as his leg folded under a Los Angeles defender. We’re embedding the video here, but with the warning that it shows a gruesome injury that may be uncomfortable to watch.
Beckham held his ankle and openly cried as he was carted off the field. The receiver reportedly fractured his ankle. There is no timeline yet for Beckham’s return and he is heading for surgery. If he doesn’t return this season, the Giants offense could be nearly nonexistent. New York has often struggled this season, but never more so than when Beckham has been out of the game. To make matters worse, the team also lost receivers Brandon Marshall and Sterling Shepard on Sunday. Like Beckham, both Marshall and Shepard went down with ankle injuries. Shepard limped off the field in the second quarter, and Marshall was carted off just moments later.
The Giants would be hurting without those two, but the long-term loss of Beckham would magnify everything. Even without Shepard and Marshall in the game, Beckham was able to shine and caught five passes for 97 yards and a touchdown on the afternoon before leaving with the injury.
If all three receivers miss time, there will be few targets left for Eli Manning and the 0-5 Giants. Rookie tight end Evan Engram has impressed in flashes this season, but was held without a catch in this contest. The Giants’ next top receiver after Engram by receptions is running back Shane Vereen.
