Giants' Darius Slayton Says He Has WR1 Potential in 2023: 'I Believe in Myself'

Darius Slayton believes he is the answer to any questions about who is the No. 1 wide receiver for the New York Giants heading into the 2024 campaign.

"I believe in myself. I believe in my ability. I believe in the work I put in the offseason," Slayton said, per Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post (h/t Kevin Patra of NFL.com). "Whether we add 10 guys, whether we add all of you guys, I believe I'll find my way on the field."

He also explained that the notion of the team not having a No. 1 option doesn't bother him "because everybody doesn't know what I know. Everybody is not in the Giants' building. At the end of the day, you can only judge based on what you see from afar."

Slayton believes playing in an offense with playmakers such as Saquon Barkley, Sterling Shepard and Evan Engram meant limited opportunities to put up the numbers fans typically associate with No. 1 wide receivers.

"I didn't play with just a bunch of bums," he said. That's a little annoying because at the end of the day, it's not like I've ever been the only person or one person to get the ball, whereas somebody [else] is. It is what it is. At the end of the day, I just play to win. As long as the Giants win, I'll be alright."

New York is in position to win again in 2023 with an offense that features Barkley, Slayton, Darren Waller, Shepard, Parris Campbell, Jalin Hyatt and others.

That might mean another season where Slayton doesn't put up 1,000 yards, but he was quite effective in 2022 with 46 catches for 724 yards and two touchdowns. It was the third time in his first four years in the NFL he surpassed the 700 receiving yard mark.

Those might not be No. 1 receiver numbers, but he has been notably consistent and figures to be once again in 2023 for a team looking to make the playoffs for the second year in a row.