The New York Giants are hoping to have Victor Cruz back sometime soon and the team is reportedly "optimistic" that Jason Pierre-Paul will be able to return for the back stretch of the season. Cruz being out has Odell Beckham as the top fantasy football starter for the Giants, while Rueben Randle and Andre Williams are solid sleeper for Week 5.
The Giants are coming into the game against the 49ers at 2-2 and they are in the mix for the division still with the Cowboys, Eagles and Redskins. The team is hoping that both Cruz and JPP can return this season, but a timetable for both players remains up in the air. According to Jordan Raanan of NJ.com, Cruz is set to meet with doctors next week after he received a plasma injection for his injured calf.
Cruz was expected to return for Week 4 of the season, but he aggravated the injury in practice and now will be out for a stretch. The team was hoping Cruz could come back and the report says that the doctors will take a look at how the plasma has helped or not, as it can take 10 days to see if it is making any progress. Cruz suffered a serious knee injury last season and was making solid progress coming back from the injury, but he injured his calf in practice before playing in the preseason and has not played in a game since last year.
Cruz said that he is feeling good and according to Pro Football Talk, the receiver said that he is "convinced" he will play again this season. Pierre-Paul is more likely to return at the end of the season if he returns at all after dealing with his July 4 fireworks accident over the summer. According to Newsday, the Giants have been "cautiously optimistic" that JPP will play again this season and that he can come back for the final four games of the season. JPP has a deadline of November 17 to sign his tender so he can play this season.
The Giants have also moved Myles White from the practice squad up to the roster, as the team wants some extra depth with Cruz out. The team worked out Hakeem Nicks and Wes Welker last week, but the team did not make a move yet. The team got rid of Preston Parker after he had five drops over the first two games of the season and Cruz not coming back has hurt the depth. The team also cut James Jones in the preseason and he has been playing well for the Packers. White comes in after the team put Daniel Fells on IR with a staph infection.
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