These 6 under-the-radar NY Giants have breakout potential in 2024 (2024)

Cor'Dale Flott, CB

The Giants have essentially told you how they feel about Flott entering his third season with their actions (or lack thereof to this point) in addition to their words. Daboll, who very rarely offers depth chart hints, expressed confidence in Flott by dropping his name as the candidate to start opposite Tae Banks.

Defensive pass game coordinator and secondary coach Jerome Henderson also believes Flott, who came into the league at 20, is positioned to take a leap. I concur.

"Most importantly, everybody is on their own the timeline, and you can't compare yourself to other guys and what other guys are doing," Flott, now 22, said when asked what he learned about himself over the first two years in the NFL. "The best thing you can do is take notes from the veterans, the guys that have been around, and figure out what works for you, whether that's routine, whether that's on the field, off the field, film work, and just picking guys' minds – that's what I started working on and get better at."

Flott admittedly is a better fit in Shane Bowen's defensive system, which mixes in off coverage and zone with man-to-man, as opposed to Wink Martindale's press man, heavy blitz scheme. Teams are going to attack Flott, who showed signs in spurts to have a willingness to step up and accept challenges - he held his own against the Eagles' A.J. Brown in the 2022 finale when the Giants sat their starters in Philly.

Devin Singletary, RB

I've seen it written from a national angle several times over the past month, and have to laugh every time. The assertion is that the Giants let Saquon Barkley leave for the Eagles via free agency and did nothing to replace him.

Enter Singletary - and fifth-round pick Tyrone Tracy Jr. - as the offense takes on a different look with a new No. 26 carrying the rock. Here's the deal: Singletary is a proven back and did well for himself with the Texans last season. He also has familiarity with Daboll and Schoen, which is why they jumped to sign him early.

If the Giants improve their offensive line and get good play from Daniel Jones at quarterback, Singletary might not bring the same hold-your-breath, playmaking ability as Barkley, yet his overall production last season was not far off. Singletary turns 27 in September and he will get the chance to show there is more to his game than he is being given credit for.

Wan'Dale Robinson, WR

Robinson believes the bar was set in the final game of his rookie season - nine catches for 100 yards against the Lions - before his right knee had other plans following that ninth reception. He spent all of last season rehabbing from ACL surgery and was ready a lot sooner than anticipated. There were ups and downs, between his knocking off the rust and three different quarterbacks, but when Robinson was on, he impressed.

With Malik Nabers bound to draw plenty of attention and Jalin Hyatt's expected growth, Robinson's presence in the game-breaking slot machine will likely put him on the fantasy football map. That popularity does not come without production, and praise from opponents, including Cowboys star receiver CeeDee Lamb, who mentioned Robinson as "a sleeper."

Could absolutely see Hyatt as a breakout candidate if things go the Giants' way, too.

Ryder Anderson, DL

Consider what Giants assistant defensive line coach Bryan Cox told me about Anderson when he was an undrafted rookie two years ago making a bid for the roster.

"He's long. He's strong. He's smart, energetic and the ball finds him," Cox said.

Anderson was a bit of a forgotten man last year when he suffered an arm injury in training camp that dashed his hopes of having an impactful second season. But instead of casting him aside, the Giants kept Anderson on the practice squad and his development continued behind the scenes.

There are snaps next to All-Pro Dexter Lawrence to be won and don't be surprised if Anderson and 2023 seventh-round pick Jordon Riley play their way into the mix. A few splash plays as a 3-technique in 1-on-1 matchups set up by Lawrence's presence and the 6-foot-6, 275-pound Anderson will make a name for himself.

Dane Belton, S

Belton tried to play through the pain of a collarbone injury as a rookie. Last season, with Xavier McKinney playing every snap and Jason Pinnock's emergence, Belton was forced to play the waiting game. Now with McKinney in Green Bay, Belton has his sights set on earning more playing time. He has made plays whenever he is on the field and has looked very comfortable in a leadership role on the back end this spring.

The Giants can't afford to sit playmakers, and even with rookie Tyler Nubin expected to seize a role, Belton is talented enough to become a significant part of this defense's future this season.

John Michael Schmitz, C

JMS took his lumps last season in the middle of an offensive line that allowed 85 sacks and sprung leaks up and down the unit due to injuries, inconsistency and ineptitude. He was banged up early on and never really found his footing, fighting through growing pains to start 13 games.

Fast forward to this season and a second-year jump is expected from Schmitz. New offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo has two individual projects that stand out: straightening out Evan Neal and getting the most out of Schmitz. Veterans Jon Runyan and Jermaine Eluemunor are working at the guards next to Schmitz; their presence should provide him with a much more stable foundation to anchor on the interior.

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