New York Giants Week 2 Inactives: Golden Tate Returns
The long wait for New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones is over.
After 13 starts of not having his entire group of primary skill players—running back Saquon Barkley; receivers Golden Tate, Sterling Shepard, and Darius Slayton; and tight end Evan Engram—Jones is going to take the field in Chicago with his full complement of offensive weapons.
Tate missed the Week 1 regular-season opener with a hamstring strain after being listed as questionable leading up to the Giants’ Monday night home game against the Steelers.
Although Tate was limited in the practices after that and listed as questionable again, he made enough progress to where the Giants' medical staff apparently feels comfortable enough to clear Tate to return.
Last year in 11 games, Tate led the Giants’ receivers and tight ends with 291 YAC, averaging 5.9 yards after the catch.
In last week’s loss to the Steelers, the Giants receiving targets averaged 4.5 yards after the catch.
Tate has excelled for the Giants as a slot receiver, where last season he played 483 out of his 624 snaps on offense.
Last year, he recorded 41 receptions out of 67 pass targets for 552 yards and five touchdowns from the slot for the Giants in what was his first season with the team.
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In other injury-related news, rookie linebacker Carter Coughlin, who only played a dozen snaps in the regular-season opener, is inactive this week. Coughlin was listed as questionable with a hamstring strain this week.
Also, defensive back Adrian Colbert (quad) is inactive. Colbert had been declared out on Friday. The Giants activated defensive back Ryan Lewis from the practice squad to presumably step into Colbert's role on defense and special teams.
The Giants’ healthy scratches include offensive lineman Jackson Barton, defensive lineman RJ McIntosh, linebacker TJ Brunson, TE Eric Tomlinson, and RB Wayne Gallman.
Gallman's landing back on the inactive list, where he spent the last five games of last year, is interesting. Last week Gallman didn't have any carries but was thrown to one time for 14 yards. The Giants were always about giving Saquon Barkley the lion's share of the reps, and he'll be spelled by Dion Lewis.
Tomlinson's demotion to the inactive list is also very telling. Last week the Giants had all four of their tight ends active, running 20 plays in 13 personnel (three tight ends) with little success in the running game.
The reduction of tight ends could indicate that the Giants aren't going to rely as heavily on 13-personnel and could perhaps use Shane Lemieux, inactive last week but active this week, as a jumbo blocker.
The Bears will have both of their edge rushers, Robert Quinn and Khalil Mack, both listed as questionable on the injury report, active.
