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2018 New York Giants starters, 53-man roster, schedule prediction

The New York Giants roster heading into the 2018 season (starters in bold):

QUARTERBACK (4): Eli Manning, Davis Webb, Kyle Lauletta, Alex Tanney

It’s Eli Manning, two young quarterbacks who have never taken an NFL snap and Alex Tanney? Something else has to be in the works.

RUNNING BACK (4): Saquon Barkley, Jonathan Stewart, Wayne Gallman, Robert Martin

The Giants are banking heavily on Barkley, and Gallman is a capable replacement should anything happen.

FULLBACK (1): Shane Smith

Yes, the Giants have a fullback who will be part of the offense. Smith is their guy.

WIDE RECEIVER (5): Odell Beckham Jr., Sterling Shepard, Cody Latimer, Russell Shepard, Hunter Sharp

Beckham and Shepard are the starters. Latimer seems to have settled as the No. 3 receiver. Shepard is a trusted veteran in reserve who can play special teams and the Giants seem to like Sharp as their returner/fifth wide receiver.

TIGHT ENDS (4): Evan Engram, Rhett Ellison, Jerell Adams, Scott Simonson

Engram is the headliner as a playmaker after a strong rookie season. Ellison, Simonson and Adams are the blockers. They need to go heavy at the position with a lot of two-tight-end sets this season.

OFFENSIVE LINE (9): Nate Solder, Will Hernandez, Jon Halapio, Patrick Omameh, Ereck Flowers, Chad Wheeler, Jon Greco, John Jerry, Evan Brown

This remade offensive line hasn’t changed much this summer. Halapio is penciled in as the starting center. Greco is now the backup after the trade of Brett Jones to the Vikings. Flowers is the right tackle. He was never really challenged.

DEFENSIVE END (3): B.J. Hill, Dalvin Tomlinson, Kerry Wynn

This group doesn’t include Josh Mauro, who will be on a reserve list the first four weeks of the season as he serves a suspension. Outside linebacker Romeo Okwara can also drop down and play on the line.

NOSE TACKLE (2): Damon Harrison, Josh Banks

Perhaps the league’s best run-stuffer and a promising second-year tackle who spent his rookie campaign on injured reserve.

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER (5): Olivier Vernon, Kareem Martin, Lorenzo Carter, Connor Barwin, Romeo Okwara

The Giants are banking heavily on Vernon, who is already dealing with an ankle injury. They love Carter’s potential. Okwara edged out Avery Moss after a strong summer.

MIDDLE LINEBACKER (4): B.J. Goodson, Alec Ogletree, Ray-Ray Armstrong, Tae Davis

Goodson and Ogletree are strong against the run. Can Ogletree be sufficient in coverage though? This was the year the Giants moved on from Mark Herzlich. They like Davis, an undrafted rookie, on special teams.

CORNERBACK (4): Janoris Jenkins, Eli Apple, B.W. Webb, Donte Deayon

After Jenkins and Apple, there are a lot of question marks. Deayon has to stay healthy. Webb begins the season as the nickel cornerback after a strong summer.

SAFETY (5): Landon Collins, Curtis Riley, William Gay, Michael Thomas, Sean Chandler

Riley is the starter at free safety next to Collins. It’s a risk. He has never started an NFL game. Thomas is the veteran and special teams ace. Gay will be this year’s Leon Hall as a safety/cornerback. Chandler came out of nowhere as the only undrafted free agent to make the roster.

SPECIALISTS (3): Aldrick Rosas, Riley Dixon, Zak DeOssie

Rosas was perfect this preseason, which earned him another chance. Dixon never had any competition and DeOssie is a staple with the Giants.