Each NFL team’s biggest breakout candidate
By Conor Dorney
![Mandatory Credit: Justin Edmonds/Getty Images Mandatory Credit: Justin Edmonds/Getty Images](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/d3e0f4dacb57562300afc5904a703c801f99a169a03ab56a4d37b1fecea1e2e3.jpg)
New York Giants – Evan Engram
Eli Manning will once again be the starting quarterback for the Giants following an intriguing offseason that brings a new head coach and renewed optimism for the team’s future. While there was speculation that new general manager Dave Gettleman would pick the club’s next franchise quarterback in last month’s draft, they instead opted for superstar running back Saquon Barkley with the second overall pick.
One player that should welcome the addition of Barkley and second-round pick Will Hernandez is tight end Evan Engram, now entering his second year in the NFL. Like David Njoku in Cleveland, Engram has twitchy wide receiver traits in a tight end’s frame, and could be in for a huge year this season.
That isn’t to say that Engram had a poor rookie season. In fact, it was quite the opposite. Amidst turmoil both on and off the field, Engram grabbed 64 catches for 722 yards and six touchdowns across 15 games for the New York Football Giants. He immediately proved himiself to be a matchup nightmare for opposing linebackers, using his 4.41 speed to get open down the field.
New head coach Pat Shurmur has plenty of experience in knowing how to properly utilize tight ends, and with more of a focus on the Giants’ new look rushing attack, Engram could be ready to cement himself as one of the league’s best young tight ends in 2018.