It wasn’t the prettiest win on Sunday, but the New York Giants got a win they desperately needed by beating the Washington Commanders, 14-7. Backup QB Tyrod Taylor had a day, as he threw for 279 yards and two touchdowns. Darren Waller had seven catches for 98 yards and one touchdown, while rookie wide receiver Jalin Hyatt had only two catches but for 75 yards.
The rookie from Tennessee has had an up-and-down year, but he has shown the big-play ability he displayed in college. Is Hyatt a guy fantasy football managers should sign off the waiver wire, or should you stay away from him?
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Should Jalin Hyatt Be a Fantasy Waiver Wire Add in Week 8?
There are some things to like about Hyatt’s game. First, he averages 21.7 yards per catch. If he had the number of catches needed, that would be leading the NFL by 2.8 yards. Nico Collins leads the league with 18.9 yards on average, but he has 29 catches on the season.
Hyatt’s average is what the Giants expected when they drafted him out of Tennessee. He has game-breaking speed, and he’s capable of scoring at any time. However, despite that, he has only nine catches for 195 yards. With this in mind, he isn’t someone to sign off waivers, but you should keep an eye on him for the next couple weeks.
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Of his nine catches, five of them have been in the last two weeks. Rookies often struggle early in the season, and that has been the case with Hyatt. Not all of the struggles are on him, though, as the Giants’ offense as a whole has really struggled to do anything.
Taylor’s 279 passing yards are the second most a Giants quarterback has thrown for this year, as Daniel Jones threw for 321 yards in the win against the Cardinals. With Saquon Barkley back playing, that should open up things for the Giants’ offense. Right now, though, it is hard to see any wide receivers from the Giants being a productive fantasy play.
Another issue is New York plays some of the better pass defenses over the next three weeks. The New York Jets are currently ranked 17th, but the Las Vegas Raiders (fifth) and Dallas Cowboys (third) have been outstanding against the pass.
That being said, keep an eye on him. If Hyatt’s targets continue to increase over the next couple of weeks like they had the past two, he becomes much more intriguing. If he gets some looks and puts up big numbers against those three teams, Hyatt may be a guy to sign as you enter the playoffs.