Throughout the 2023 NFL season, we will compile a consensus NFL Power Rankings that averages the rankings of all 32 NFL teams.
Below you will find a Week 1 roundup for the New York Giants in our consensus 2023 NFL Power Rankings.
ESPN -- Rank: 16
On the hot seat: RB Saquon Barkley
We all know how Barkley's contract negotiation went ... not smoothly. He is playing on a one-year adjusted franchise tag, which means he could be back in the same spot next year with the Giants in control and the potential for another franchise tag. Barkley understands that and thinks his best bet is to go out and have a monster individual season mixed with team success. His contract has incentives for 1,350 yards rushing, 11 touchdowns and 65 receptions combined with the team making the playoffs, which would basically be a career year. -- Jordan Raanan
We all know how Barkley's contract negotiation went ... not smoothly. He is playing on a one-year adjusted franchise tag, which means he could be back in the same spot next year with the Giants in control and the potential for another franchise tag. Barkley understands that and thinks his best bet is to go out and have a monster individual season mixed with team success. His contract has incentives for 1,350 yards rushing, 11 touchdowns and 65 receptions combined with the team making the playoffs, which would basically be a career year. -- Jordan Raanan
NFL.com -- Rank: 19
Brian Daboll built up a lot of goodwill with his surprising first-year success, which included the Giants' first postseason win in 11 years. How high can this team fly? The Darren Waller acquisition and more speed at receiver give the offense a higher ceiling. This is a more talented team than last year's version. But the defense must do a better job against the run and force more turnovers to net improvement in the standings. The front-seven reinforcements should help the run defense, but the takeaway question lingers. Big Blue's 13 fumble recoveries a year ago were the NFL's second-most, but the six INTs were tied for last. Can a reshuffled secondary (that likely will feature two rookies playing big roles) change that?
CBS Sports -- Rank: 18
They play in a brutal division, which is why they might take a step back this year. But Brian Daboll is such a good coach that it's hard to doubt them.
USA Today -- Rank: 22
Sure feels like new TE Darren Waller, who's missed 14 games over the past two seasons, holds an inordinately large key to the success of an offense that ranked 18th last year.
The Athletic -- Rank: 19
Best-case scenario: The worst nickname in professional sports ("Vanilla Vick") does not hamper Daniel Jones from continuing his arc of improvement. The addition of Darren Waller and rookie Jalin Hyatt gives the offense some explosiveness after a 2022 season in which only the Arizona Cardinals had fewer passing plays of at least 30 yards. The talent on defense is not enough for the Giants to be good, per se, but defensive coordinator Wink Martindale is able to cook up enough special game plans to keep offenses on their toes, while the acquisition of Isaiah Simmons turns out to be a perfect match.
Worst-case scenario: The season begins in auspicious fashion with a penalty for illegal formation on the first snap of the year when eight different players try to line up in the slot. Things snowball from there, as the Daniel Jones contract quickly looks like the worst in football, Saquon Barkley turns into a malcontent, and the defense remains as bad as it is blitz heavy. As the Jets become the hottest team in the league, the Giants fall to a disappointing 5-12 — but do it in a classy way.
Worst-case scenario: The season begins in auspicious fashion with a penalty for illegal formation on the first snap of the year when eight different players try to line up in the slot. Things snowball from there, as the Daniel Jones contract quickly looks like the worst in football, Saquon Barkley turns into a malcontent, and the defense remains as bad as it is blitz heavy. As the Jets become the hottest team in the league, the Giants fall to a disappointing 5-12 — but do it in a classy way.
FOX -- Rank: 16
The Giants were a year ahead of schedule in Brian Daboll's first season. Can they keep it up? Credit to them, they haven't been idle. Darren Waller will help, as should a big-time rookie class. Everyone expects the Giants to be feisty, but it'll be truly impressive if they can take another step forward and truly contend to win a loaded division. They have an early opportunity to make an impression, as the Giants have not beaten Dak Prescott since his rookie year, way back in 2016.
Yahoo! -- Rank: 19
Darren Waller is going to get a lot of targets. We could see that in his brief preseason playing time. There's a concern about injury and him fading late in the season at age 30. But as long as Waller is healthy, he should easily lead the Giants in receptions.
PFT -- Rank: 11
Last year might not have been a fluke but the start of something that will endure.
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More New York Giants pages:
- New York Giants Mock Draft Roundup
- New York Giants 2023 NFL Draft Grades
- New York Giants Draft History
- New York Giants Schedule
- New York Giants Tickets
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