What Each Giants Projected Offensive Starter Needs to Prove in 2020

The Giants offense will have most of the players with whom they ended last season back on the field in 2020 under a new offensive scheme designed by Jason Garrett.

Garrett's schemes in Dallas have historically been statistically productive and creative enough to help each player optimize what he does best. Well, for a Giants offense that last year had a lot of struggles starting with the offensive line and extending into the backfield, that's what the team is counting on.

But the scheme can only accomplish so much, as it all begins with the individual effort. So with that said, here's a rundown of the 11 projected opening day starters and what they need to prove in 2020 to help optimize the unit's potency.

QB Daniel Jones: Ball Security

Second-year quarterback Daniel Jones has had a lot to prove since the moment he was drafted. An impressive rookie season last year quelled the initial negativity of his drafting, but a ball security issue left a stain on his rookie year after he finished as the league leader with 18 fumbles, eight of which came in the fourth quarter.

If Jones continues to lead the league in fumbles, that will almost certainly overshadow the good things he can do, such as his toughness, making the throws, and engineering scoring drives.

But if he reduces the mistakes and builds on the positive numbers he put up during his rookie season, Jones has the opportunity to emerge as one of the more promising young quarterbacks in the NFL.

RELATED: Daniel Jones Hopes to Follow the Success of Other NFL Quarterbacks Who Have Bulked Up

Jones has already taken steps toward proving he is committed to cutting down on the mistakes by adding about 10 pounds of muscle in the offseason.

Added bulk has previously helped quarterbacks cut down fumbles and be more durable overall, and now Jones will look to keep that trend going in 2020.

RB Saquon Barkley: Consistent Dominance

Running back Saquon Barkley has proven to be arguably the most talented running backs in the NFL since being drafted in 2018. But there were times when he's looked like a mere mortal on the field.

To be fair, Barkley dealt with the combination of a high ankle sprain and an offensive play-caller who made his life a lot harder than it needed to be. Somehow, Barkley still managed to record 1,000+ yards, but he had to fight for every single one of them.

With Garrett now in the fold, Barkley's seldom used talents in space are likely to be utilized more, while his pass blocking and short-yardage roles in between the 20s could be reduced.

RELATED: Running Backs Preview: Giants Needs to Work Saquon Barkley Smarter, Not Harder

Back to Barkley's running performance, one of the biggest knocks against him has been his influx of negative runs and habit of sometimes getting stuck behind the line of scrimmage. While part of that has been the result of the offensive line, sometimes Barkley is to blame for not showing patience in letting his blocks fully develop.

Garrett helped produce a pair of NFL rushing leaders during his stint as Dallas Cowboys head coach and has managed to get the most out of his running backs based on their skill set.

Barkley arguably is just as talented, if not more so than what Garrett had in Dallas, so if his system, along with offensive line improvements, can help Barkley cut down on the negative runs and increase the number of big plays, the sky's the limit for this third-year superstar.

TE Evan Engram: Health

Tight end Evan Engram has the talent to prove he can be one of the most productive receiving tight ends in the NFL. The only problem so far is that he hasn't been on the field enough to do it.

Engram has missed 13 games over the last two seasons to injury. In 2018, three different injuries kept Engram out of five regular-season games in Weeks 4-6, and 9, and 12-13.

In 2019, after missing one game in Week 6 with an MCL strain, he then missed the last seven games of the season with a foot sprain that required surgery.

RELATED: Tight End Evan Engram Eyes Breakout Season in New Offense

Engram's rookie season in 2017 was a prime example of what he can do throughout a full season. He played in 15 games with 11 starts that year, racking up 64 receptions for 722 yards and six touchdowns.

With two more years of experience under his belt and a role as a full-time starter in an offensive system in which tight ends have historically flourished, Engram could have that long-awaited breakout season if he can stay healthy.

OT Andrew Thomas: He's the Real Deal

The Giants drafted offensive tackle Andrew Thomas out of Georgia with the fourth overall pick in the draft, and they are counting on him to prove their decision right in 2020.

Thomas is the team's projected long-term starter at left tackle, a player whom many scouts and draft analysts believed was the most pro-ready and safest pick among the four offensive tackles in this year's draft.

Thomas will get a chance to prove that he's the real deal early, as he will be tested against some of the best pass rushers the NFL has to offer.

The Giants' first three games are projected to pit Thomas against Steelers All-Pro edge rusher T.J. Watt and veteran Bud Dupree; Bears Khalil Mack; and 49ers edge Nick Bosa.

Thomas is no stranger to handling top defensive linemen, as in college, he faced many of college football's most formidable edge rushers in his three-year career at Georgia. While that's a feather in his cap, the pro game is on a whole other level.

RELATED: A Look at Andrew Thomas' Experience Handling Top Pass Rushers

Thomas will be under pressure to perform at a high level, considering the importance of the position he will be filling. Still, he will bear the pressure of outperforming the other offensive tackles drafted in this year's class, considering where he was drafted.

While the other rookie offensive tackles' performances might not matter as much to the Giants, as long as Thomas plays well, the Giants' decision to draft Thomas over his peers is one of the organization's more important decisions in recent franchise history.

The Giants' left tackle situation--their entire offensive line really--has been an annual problem since 2012. After attempting to solve that problem with free agents who either didn't pan out or who didn't live up to their contracts, Thomas represents an important shift in its thinking.

OG Will Hernandez: Improvement

After a promising rookie season in 2018, left guard Will Hernandez didn't entirely take the big step forward everyone anticipated for the former UTEP prospect.

Hernandez showed significant mishaps in pass protection in 2019. His Pro Football Focus grades dropped significantly from his rookie season, but more noticeably was the fact that Hernandez looked less sure of himself out there, especially against stunts.

Offensive line coach Marc Colombo has been intent on unlocking every little hidden talent his offensive linemen have. Already he seems to have found something in Hernandez's athleticism that should give the Giants' blocking a bit more firepower.

Hernandez is a part of the Giants' future, but they desperately need him to forget about 2019 and show that he can build on what he started in 2018.

RELATED: Once the Student, Will Hernandez is Ready to Be the Teacher

There is reason to believe that Hernandez will improve in 2020, given an improvement in surrounding circumstances from last year.

Giants Country's Nick Falato noted that the Giants might be looking to run more gap/power and DUO, wide zone, outside zone, and some inside zone in Garrett's new offense.

The gap/power and DUO, according to Falato, should fit Hernandez’s skillset a bit better due to his ability to move in space, location, and finishing power to kick-out.

C Nick Gates: Reliability

Offensive lineman Nick Gates was rewarded with a two-year, $6.8 million contract before the start of training camp, and the Giants will be counting on him to earn that money in his first season as a starter on the offensive line.

There's a lot to like about Gates' game as he prepares to take over as the starting center. He's smart, he has a good anchor, and he's feisty. Colombo said he views Gates as an "alpha male," which is what you want to see in a center.

In his short NFL career, Gates plays each snap, be it in a game or practice, with that undrafted free agent mentality that he's one play away from the street. He rarely makes an error, at least one that's blatant, and he's unassuming.

RELATED: Nick Gates is Adapting to Life at Center Stage

But with all that said, Gates has never played the position in a live game. While he's mastered snapping the ball and does a good job of keeping his head on a swivel, a big question mark with Gates will be making the protection calls against opponents that are particularly adept at disguising what they are doing until the last minute.

The Giants can ill-afford to have a blown protection call result in Daniel Jones getting drilled into the ground, so the pressure is on Gates to alleviate any concerns that might still exist.

OG Kevin Zeitler: Consistency

Last year, right guard Kevin Zeitler was Mr. Consistency on the offensive line.

The most senior member of the starters will look to continue that streak this year as he works on a unit that has three new starters. Fortunately, he's gone through this before several times.

He had to develop chemistry with a new Giants offense and teammates in 2019 after being acquired via trade from the Cleveland Browns.

Even before coming to the Giants last year, he had to adjust to a similar situation after signing with Cleveland in 2017 after four years with Cincinnati Bengals.

RELATED: Giants Offensive Line Looking to Improve, Build Continuity

Zeitler then had to build continuity with two new starters on the Browns' offensive line one year later in 2018, the season in which he was ranked as Pro Football's top offensive guard.

Now he will need to prove that his ability to lead his young teammates into a cohesive unit while still showing the Giants that he can play at a high enough level to hold off youngster Shane Lemieux, believed to be the heir apparent to Zeitler's spot.

OT Cameron Fleming: He Can Start

Veteran offensive lineman Cameron Fleming is on his third NFL team with the Giants this year. Still, his previous stints with the New England Patriots and Dallas Cowboys have familiarized him with the current Giants coaches.

Fleming spent his first three NFL seasons working with Judge in New England from 2014-17. He then spent two seasons in Dallas Garrett and Colombo.

RELATED: Giants Confident in Offensive Tackle Cameron Fleming

Now they have reunited in New York for the 2020 season, and Fleming will be taking over a critical role as the Giants' starting right tackle.

Fleming, a former fourth-round pick, has been predominantly a swing tackle in his career and has never made more than seven starts in a season. Still, the Giants will be relying on his experience within the offensive system to be a good right tackle.

WR Sterling Shepard: Improved Production

Wide receiver Sterling Shepard is the Giants' longest-tenured player on the roster. A second-round draft pick in 2016, Shepard was part of the last Giants team to reach the playoffs.

Shepard has had to endure a quarterback change, two head coaching changes, and three losing seasons since then. Unfortunately, his production hasn't precisely survived the organizational turbulence.

RELATED: PFF Ranks Giants Receivers 21st Best in NFL--Why that Ranking Might Be Too Low

Shepard has been modestly productive, averaging 54 receiving yards per game with 17 career touchdowns, but eight of his 17 touchdowns came during his rookie year, and he has yet to produce a 1,000-yard season.

Part of that could be due to injuries. He missed six games in 2019 with a concussion and five in 2017 with assorted ailments including hamstring, head, and ankle injuries.

At the age of 27, Shepard's best football may very well be ahead of him, especially if he can build chemistry with Jones. The opportunities should be there in this offense; Shepard has to seize them when they come his way.

WR Golden Tate: Still Worth It

Thirty-two-year-old Golden Tate is on the wrong side of 30, but that doesn't necessarily mean he's washed up.

Last year Tate showed all the younger cats how to get it done by leading the receivers in yards after the catch, a pretty remarkable feat considering he missed five games, four of which due to a league-imposed suspension at the start of the year.

RELATED: Giants Injury Update: Golden Tate Day-to-Day

With the Giants likely to open up the receiving game more to include Evan Engram, Saquon Barkley, and Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton, Tate will have to prove he's still worth his 2020 salary-cap figure of $10.352 million, the third-highest figure on the team.

Last year, Tate caught 60.5% of his pass targets, second among three Giants receivers who had at least 80 pass targets. While Tate had the same number of drops as the other two receivers (Shepard and Darius Slayton) in this group, per PFF, he was also the receiving target on five passes for interceptions.

Tate's athleticism will be tested in 2020, but if he can prove that he is still as effective as a route-runner, that's all the Giants can hope for.

WR Darius Slayton: The Next Step

Wide receiver Darius Slayton emerged as the Giants' receiving leader as a fifth-round rookie last year with 740 yards and eight touchdowns.

Slayton saw more targets than the average fifth-round rookie would typically see in an offense due to the injuries that hit the Giants' wide receiver group. Still, Slayton took advantage of his opportunities, flashing big-play ability as a legitimate deep threat.

RELATED: Darius Slayton Shares His Thoughts About the Giants' New Offense

Six of Slayton's eight touchdowns went for 20+ yards, and four were from a distance of 35+ yards. But despite his amazing rookie season, Slayton still feels his game has room to grow.

"This offseason, I really tried to focus on specifically route breaks," Slayton said earlier this month.

"Also, obviously you catch the ball as a receiver, whatever, but elite receivers, they run through the ball, are able to catch the ball and keep their legs on the move while they’re catching it. Those were two things I really tried to focus on this offseason and two things I think I’ve improved on."

Slayton's deep threat ability, combined with his dependability, proved that he could emerge as a top wide receiver in a thin group.

Now with the unit at full strength, Slayton will have to prove that he continues to be worthy of the pass targets.

Check back on Thursday to see what each Giants defensive starter needs to prove in 2020, only on Giants Country.

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