Matchup: Giants @ Eagles

Sunday Night Football

NY Giants @ Philadelphia

A tone-setting power back with deceptive burst and acceleration, Andre Williams will take over as the Giants' workhorse with Rashad Jennings (MCL) slated to miss two games. Although his pass-game chops have been understandably criticized, PFF has credited Williams without a single quarterback hit or hurry allowed on 13 pass-blocking chances, and Williams secured both of his Week 5 targets for 18 yards. Similar to old Falcons back Michael Turner, Williams is a chain-moving sustainer capable of wearing a defense out. He's a candidate for 20-plus touches against an Eagles team that allowed 240 yards and a touchdown on 54 carries (4.44 YPC) to 49ers and Rams tailbacks in Weeks 4-5. Both of the Eagles' starting inside linebackers -- DeMeco Ryans (groin) and Mychal Kendricks (calf) -- missed practice time this week. Kendricks won’t play against the Giants. Ryans apparently will, albeit at less than 100%. ... In particular, the Giants project to have offensive success on Sunday night because Philly's pass defense is a quarterback's best friend. In Weeks 1-5, DC Billy Davis' defense was shredded by Kirk Cousins, Chad Henne, Andrew Luck, Colin Kaepernick, and Austin Davis for a combined 120-of-204 passing, 1,458 yards, and a 13:3 TD-to-INT ratio. Third-year UDFA Davis dropped 375 passing yards and three scores on the Eagles last week. Over his last four games, Eli Manning is 94-of-136 passing (69.1%) for 1,011 yards (7.43 YPA) with a 10:3 TD-to-INT ratio and an 11th score on a scramble. ... Odell Beckham greatly exceeded expectations in his NFL debut last week, registering a 4-44-1 line on five targets, drawing crucial penalties, and playing 53.5% of the Giants' snaps. His playing time rose as the game moved forward, with OC Ben McAdoo unable to keep his impact first-rounder off the field. As Beckham plays on the perimeter in McAdoo's offense, he's already worth WR3 consideration against Philly's oft-burned outside cornerback duo of RCB Cary Williams and LCB Bradley Fletcher.

Eli's Weeks 1-5 target distribution: Rueben Randle 40; Victor Cruz 38; Larry Donnell 32; Preston Parker 14; Jennings 13; Williams 8; Daniel Fells 6; Beckham 5. ... With three straight ten-target games, Randle has taken over as New York's 2014 target leader. His inefficiency is a definite concern -- Roob has secured only 17 of those targets for 149 yards and a touchdown -- but there are no signs of his usage decreasing. During last Sunday's game, the FOX crew noted Manning has made it a point to involve Randle early in games in order to get him zoned in. With at least 80 yards and/or a TD in three consecutive weeks, Randle is a WR2/3 in a game where he projects to run most of his routes at whipping-boy RCB Williams. ... Cruz's numbers took the biggest dive with Beckham in the Week 5 lineup, and in Week 6 Cruz has the toughest matchup in New York's receiver corps. Still running most of his routes in the slot, Cruz will do battle with Eagles top CB Brandon Boykin inside. In last year's two meetings with Philly, Boykin helped hold Cruz to stat lines of 5-48-0 and 7-86-0. I think Cruz will have a good game Sunday, but his ceiling is theoretically capped by the matchup. ... Donnell's Week 5 goose egg was more the product of Atlanta DC Mike Nolan's scheming than anything else. The Falcons got physical with Donnell at the line of scrimmage and specifically made sure he wouldn't beat them, opening things up for Randle and Beckham outside. Donnell's early-season production may have been a bit of a mirage, but he's still a respectable TE1 play against an Eagles defense allowing the ninth most receptions (25) to tight ends. Donnell's matchup is improved by cover ‘backer Kendricks’ absence.

The Eagles tried to kick start their stuck-in-mud run game during last week's win over St. Louis, giving LeSean McCoy season highs in carries (24) and touches (28). It was troubling that McCoy still didn't deliver in a favorable matchup, managing 3.38 yards per carry, getting outplayed by Darren Sproles (again), and getting benched by RBs coach Duce Staley on a crucial clock-killing drive at the end of the game. Expected to get MLB Jon Beason (foot) back after last week's late scratch, the Giants are playing top-ten run defense but have been middling on a per-play basis, allowing enemy running backs to tally 438 yards and four TDs on 102 runs (4.29 YPC). For as long as McCoy remains ineffective -- and there are no signs a breakthrough is imminent -- fantasy owners will have to downgrade him to an RB2 and hang their hats on volume. For all of Shady's struggles, he's still averaging 21.6 touches a game. ... Sproles' usage has been far less reliable. His touch totals through five weeks are 15, 11, 5, 3, and 7. Sproles is theoretically a PPR asset, but only has five catches for 32 yards over his last three games. He's become virtually impossible to trust as a fantasy start. ... The No. 14 fantasy quarterback, Foles has been far better at home than on the road this season. In Philadelphia, he's completing 63.4% of his throws with a 7:2 TD-to-INT ratio. In road games, Foles is at 52.5% with one score and three picks. Foles was actually better on the road than at home last season, so this may just be a small-sample blip. Consider Foles a low-end QB1 against a Giants defense that has held opposing quarterbacks to 82-of-141 passing (58.2%) for 1,029 yards and a 3:8 TD-to-INT ratio over the past month. Jason Pierre-Paul has returned to dominant form, and both LCB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and RCB Prince Amukamara are top-20 corners in PFF's grades.

Foles' Weeks 1-5 target distribution: Jeremy Maclin 57; Jordan Matthews 31; Riley Cooper 30; Zach Ertz 26; Sproles 21; McCoy 15; Brent Celek 10. ... Tied with Julio Jones for the NFL lead in targets, Maclin is a matchup-proof every-week WR1. It's worth noting DRC suffered ankle and hip injuries in last week's win over the Falcons, costing him 23 snaps. Look for DRC to mostly contend with Maclin in this game. ... With Maclin dominating Foles' looks and the efficiency of Chip Kelly's offense way down from last season, the rest of Philly's pass catchers are weekly crapshoots. Matthews' weekly snap rates are 66%, 49%, 64%, 65%, and 47%. He's just a WR4. ... The same goes for Cooper, who plays a lot more downs than Matthews but is averaging under 32 yards per game. He'll need a red-zone score or long pass play to pay fantasy dividends against the G-Men. ... After a red-hot start to the season, Ertz's production has plummeted, presumably due to blocking deficiencies limiting his playing time. Ertz's Weeks 1-5 snap rates were 61%, 77%, 51%, 72%, and 41%. Indeed, Ertz's playing time reached a season low in last week's win over St. Louis. He's a TE2 until something changes. It definitely doesn't help that the Giants allow the second fewest fantasy points to tight ends.

Score Prediction: Giants 24, Eagles 21