Cowboys could draw New York Giants without Sterling Shepard in Week 1

Things became a lot easier for the Dallas Cowboys when it comes to the New York Giants this offseason when the G-Men traded away wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr..

OBJ is one of the game’s more prolific wideouts but had a history in New York that the organization had tired of. As a result they dealt him to the Cleveland Browns and decided that fourth-year man Sterling Shepard was enough to be the focal point of their receivers group.

Shepard has been part of two victories for New York against the Cowboys, four losses, and he figures to play a prominent role in the Giants offense this season (however prominent an offense with Eli Manning can be). Unfortunately, Sterling suffered a thumb injury on the first day of training camp which is already putting his status for New York’s Week 1 game at Dallas in jeopardy.

The official diagnosis here according to the Giants is a fracture in Shepard’s thumb, a trial for anyone who uses their hands as much as he does. To be clear, we never want to see any opponents get hurt or go down with injury, but this is very much news considering the Giants are the first opponent that the Cowboys will play this season.

What’s more is the Giants lost another wide receiver with Friday’s news. Corey Coleman tore his ACL. This is brutal. You never want to see any of this.

Plenty of oddsmakers already have Dallas as the favorites for this matchup. Shepard looking questionable and Coleman out would obviously add to that. The matchup is a little over six weeks away, but given that it’s Week 1 the Giants may feel like they want to ensure Shepard gets all the way to 100% so that they can have him for as much of the season as possible.