Injuries further deplete Giants for game against Saints

The New York Giants will be without three starters — guard Ben Bredeson and wide receivers Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton — on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints. All three have been ruled out, Bredeson with a hand injury and Slayton ad Shepard with hamstring injuries.

Shepard (18 catches, 223 yards) has been the Giants’ leading receiv er through three games. Slayton (7 catches) is fourth on the team. Bredeson started Week 3 at left guard. Now, the Giants will start their fourth left guard in as many weeks on Sunday.

The Giants are also without linebacker Blake Martinez (torn ACL), offensive linemen Nick Gates and Shane Lemieux, and linebacker Cam Brown.

Friday injury report

Giants

Out

OL Ben Bredeson (hand)
WR Sterling Shepard (hamstring)
WR Darius Slayton (hamstring)

Questionable

DB Keion Crossen (elbow)
LB Tae Crowder (hamstring)
DB Nate Ebner (quad)
TE Kaden Smith (knee)

Saints

Out

C Erik McCoy (calf)
T Terron Armstead (elbow)

THURSDAY

The New York Giants’ injury report for Thursday looked nearly identical to Wednesday’s. Wide receivers Sterling Shepard and Darius Slayton (hamstring injuries) and starting guard Ben Bredeson (hand) again missed practice.

Linebacker Tae Crowder, though, was added to the report on Thursday. He was listed as limited with a hamstring issue. That is a potentially significant development. With Blake Martinez having been lost for the season with a torn ACL, the 2020 seventh-round pick has become the Giants’ defensive signal-caller. His loss could turn a difficult situation into a chaotic one.

Wednesday injury report

Giants

Did not participate

G Ben Bredeson (hand)
WR Sterling Shepard (hamstring)
Wr Darius Slayton (hamstring)

Limited participation

RB Saquon Barkley (knee)
DB Keion Crossen (elbow)
LB Tae Crowder (hamstring)
DB Nate Ebner (quad)
FB Cullen Gillaspia (ankle)
WR Kenny Golladay (hip)
LS Casey Kreiter (knee)
DB Logan Ryan (hamstring)
TE Kaden Smith (knee)

WEDNESDAY

Wide receivers Darius Slayton and Sterling Shepard, both nursing hamstring injuries, and left guard Ben Bredeson (hand) did not practice in Wednesday for the Giants.

Wednesday injury report

Giants

Did not participate

G Ben Bredeson (hand)
LB Blake Martinez (knee)
WR Sterling Shepard (hamstring)
Wr Darius Slayton (hamstring)

Limited participation

RB Saquon Barkley (knee)
DB Keion Crossen (elbow)
DB Nate Ebner (quad)
FB Cullen Gillaspia (ankle)
WR Kenny Golladay (hip)
LS Casey Kreiter (knee)
DB Logan Ryan (hamstring)
TE Kaden Smith (knee)

John Ross designated to return from IR

Wide receiver John Ross, sidelined so far this season by a hamstring injury, has been designated to return from IR by the New York Giants.

That means that Ross practiced on Wednesday as the Giants held a walk-through in preparation for Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints. It does not mean Ross has been added to the 53-man roster. The Giants could do that if Ross shows them enough this week, but they have 21 days to add him to the active roster.

Ross’s return would be welcomed by a team that is averaging only 18.7 points per game. The Giants signed the speedy former Cincinnati Bengals first-round pick, who never lived up to that status, hoping that he could create some big plays.

The Giants also could be without wide receivers Darius Slayton and Sterling Shepard against the Saints. Both players suffered hamstring injuries in the team’s Week 3 loss to the Atlanta Falcons.