Sterling Shepard Injury Update Boosts Kadarius Toney and Darius Slayton Fantasy Outlook in Week 9

New York Giants wide receiver Sterling Shepard will miss time once again after suffering a quad strain. He's not the only Giants receiver dealing with an injury, leaving few healthy options.

The update on Shepard gives a major boost to the Week 9 fantasy outlook for Kadarius Toney and Darius Slayton.

WR Sterling Shepard is expected to miss some time with a quad strain suffered Monday night vs. the Chiefs, per sources. Giants have the Raiders on Sunday and then their bye. So some time to get healthy. Still, the injury hits to their playmakers keep coming.
— Jordan Raanan (@JordanRaanan) November 3, 2021

Kadarius Toney Fantasy Outlook

Toney could be line as Daniel Jones' top receiving option with Shepard out and Kenny Golladay questionable for Week 9.

The rookie returned in Week 8 after a one-game absence, hauling in 4 of 5 targets for 26 yards. It wasn't a noteworthy performance, but history already points to a big game for Toney if Shepard is out.

In two games (Weeks 4 and 5) without Shepard this season, Toney turned a combined 22 targets into 16 receptions and 267 yards. That included a monster 29.6-point PPR outing against the Dallas Cowboys.

That production in a featured role makes him a clear starting choice, especially if Golladay is also sidelined.

Darius Slayton Fantasy Outlook

Slayton has his own FLEX appeal as one of Jones' healthy weapons.

The wideout also had a standout performance when Shepard was sidelined this season, this time in Week 7. He saw a season-high 9 targets in that contest, hauling in 5 catches for 63 yards.

Golladay and Toney were both out in that game as well. With the latter seemingly healthy, and the former having a chance to return in Week 9, that could cut into Shepard's potential.

There's certainly upside for Slayton if he's a featured pass-catcher in a game where New York is expected to trail as 3-point underdogs, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. He's far from a starting lock, though, given a matchup against a Las Vegas Raiders secondary holding WRs to the fourth-fewest PPR points per game.

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Isaiah De Los Santos is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Isaiah De Los Santos also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username zayyy05328. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.