Is Jalin Hyatt or Darius Slayton the WR2 for the Giants?

June 24, 2024

Who will be the WR2 for the New York Giants in 2024? Lance Fernandez takes a look at the credentials of Jalin Hyatt and Darius Slayton to see who is likely Malik Nabers' lead backup.

While Malik Nabers is entering his rookie season, he has a legitimate chance to be the New York Giants' primary receiver. They selected him sixth overall after becoming a Unanimous All-American during his final season at LSU.

New York's NFC team will have a great thing going if Nabers can duplicate what he did last year with the Tigers (89 receptions, 1,569 yards, 14 touchdowns). As talented as he is, the offense won't succeed if Nabers will be the only one delivering for the four-time Super Bowl champions.

Therefore, his fellow wideouts like Darius Slayton and Jalin Hyatt must step up if defensive coordinators decide to pay extra attention to Nabers. That said, who among Slayton and Hyatt will become the Giants' top complement for Nabers in the upcoming season?

Jalin Hyatt Fantasy Football Outlook

The 2022 Fred Biletnikoff Award winner finished his final year at Tennessee with 67 receptions for 1,267 yards and 15 touchdowns. The Giants had high hopes for Hyatt, who became a Unanimous All-American and First-Team All-SEC member that year.

Hyatt did have his first 100-yard NFL game in the Giants' 2023 Week 12 game against the New England Patriots. However, that was the only positive note from his rookie season. While Hyatt played in all 17 games, he started in only seven and finished with 373 yards.

Hoping to see this a lot more from Jalin Hyatt in 2024.pic.twitter.com/2J6WTLDLhA

— Gridiron Media (@Gridiron_Media_) June 14, 2024

His 2024 campaign will be all about proving himself worthy of the third-round pick used for him. The Giants even traded up to get Hyatt, indicating that the team sees him as a high-value contributor. Being a valuable contributor to the Giants' passing game opens up more possibilities for their offense.

Darius Slayton Fantasy Football Outlook

Slayton led all Giants receivers last season with 770 yards and four touchdowns. It's a solid output for the former Auburn standout and an improvement from his previous career-high 751 yards in 2020.

However, could that be his ceiling as an NFL wide receiver? It's the fourth time he reached the 700-yard mark in five years. His output has stayed the same whether he caught passes from Daniel Jones, Tyrod Taylor, or Tommy Devito.

What are Darius Slayton's thoughts on the Giants adding to the wide receiver room?

"I try to live in the moment, enjoy my time with them and around them. Who knows what the future holds? I try to be my best day in and day out." pic.twitter.com/iSFwRRe7hN

— Giants Videos (@SNYGiants) May 30, 2024

Playing on a contract year could motivate Slayton to do better. However, reaching 1,000 yards in 2024 could be a stretch, considering he must share targets with Nabers and Hyatt.

Who between Jalin Hyatt and Darius Slayton is the Giants' WR2?

It's a toss-up because both wideouts have their positives. Hyatt has his upside, while Slayton is the steadier player who can deliver when needed. Considering those attributes, it's no surprise they're not far from each other in RotoBaller's fantasy football rankings for 2024.

Hyatt ranks 81^st among wide receivers and 214^th overall in PPR format. Conversely, Slayton is WR85 and 228^th overall. Even their projected numbers, courtesy of RotoBaller's Nick Mariano, are close, with Slayton potentially finishing with 43 receptions for 580 yards and three touchdowns. Meanwhile, Hyatt is projected to register 41 catches for 570 yards and two touchdowns.

With Nabers being their top option, Hyatt and Slayton's projected stats are comparable. However, if those projections are accurate, fantasy football owners must exercise restraint in selecting either. In addition to better options at wide receiver, it's best to track their performances before considering their value.

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