It may be hard to believe, but a quarter of the 2019 regular season is already in the books and there are just 13 weeks (12 games) left of football for the New York Giants.
A lot has been packed into the first month of action, so let’s hand out some awards at the quarter mark.
Most disappointing player
This will likely lead to a heated debate because Janoris Jenkins closed out the first quarter of the season with one of the most dominating performances imaginable against the Washington Redskins, earning himself NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors.
That’s the positive side of Jenkins’ first four games. And it’s the only positive.
For the first three weeks of the season, Jenkins was among the worst cornerbacks in all of football, finding himself eaten alive against the Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills and Tampa Bay Buccaneers — and it didn’t matter which receiver he was covering.
Jenkins showed in Week 4 that he’s still capable of being the elite Jackrabbit, but there’s no getting around just how disappointing he was over the first three weeks of the season.
Less than honorable mention: Antoine Bethea
Most surprising player
How could this be anyone other than Daniel Jones?
After being selected sixth overall in the 2019 NFL Draft, Jones was shredded in the media and no one spared an expense in their criticism of the pick. Jones was labeled an over-rated guaranteed bust who didn’t have the skills to succeed in the NFL.
Following an impressive preseason, Jones’ success was dismissed as padding stats against low-depth players and others who would be out of the league.
However, two games into his professional career, Jones has completed just under 70% of his passes for 578 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions, adding 66 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
Most importantly? The Giants are 2-0 under Jones and .500 for the first time since 2016.
Honorable mention: Ryan Connelly
Defensive Rookie of the Year
When you check the stat book, you’ll see very little for Dexter Lawrence: three tackles and one sack.
That’s it.
Unfortunately for Lawrence, he plays a very thankless position that only gets noticed when something goes wrong. The good news for Lawrence? He’s barely been noticed this season.
Although Lawrence isn’t consistently playing three downs like the Giants had projected, he is still seeing a good number of snaps and seemingly improves with each one. He’s become a force in the middle, clogging up running lanes and repeatedly eating up multiple blockers at a time.
Lawrence is a monster of a man who pushes professional offensive linemen around like rag dolls. He’s also made a significant impact on special teams, disrupting the middle of the line of PATs and field goals, even coming up with a block earlier this year.
The sky is the limit for this kid.
Honorable mention: Ryan Connelly
Offensive Rookie of the Year
We’ve already broken down Daniel Jones as the team’s most surprising player through four weeks, so it’s only fitting that he takes home the quarter mark Offensive Rookie of the Year as well.
Wide receiver Darius Slayton has played surprisingly well since returning from injury and save for a fumble, running back Jon Hilliman was solid in Week 4, but neither player has done enough to push Jones for OROY.
After just two games, Jones has become the odds-on favorite to win the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year and the argument could be made that he’s the team’s MVP at the quarter mark of the season, but we’re going in a different direction for that one…
Honorable mention: Darius Slayton
Team MVP
Many expected a breakout year for tight end Evan Engram and he has not disappointed. Through four weeks of the season, Engram has established himself as one of the top all-around tight ends in the league.
Thus far in 2019, Engram has hauled in 27 receptions for 337 yards and two touchdowns, has proven to be a matchup nightmare for opposing teams and his breakaway speed is something to behold.
Beyond that, Engram shored up his two weakest areas — catch percentage and blocking.
Engram had been plagued by drops throughout his early career, but has seemingly nipped that in the bud through four weeks. He has just one dropped pass compared to several miraculous catches, and when it comes to his blocking, it’s night and day.
Engram spent the offseason working hard to improve his blocking — what was the weakest part of his game — and opponents are beginning to notice.
“You’ve gotten better at blocking,” Redskins linebacker Ryan Kerrigan told Engram during a Week 4 game.
More than all of that? Engram has become a locker-room and on-field leader both vocally and through his play.
The best part? Engram is only just beginning to scratch the surface of his true potential.
Honorable mention: Daniel Jones
