Rhett Ellison, Sterling Shepard, More Fantasy Outlook After Evan Engram's Injury

The New York Giants announced Sunday that tight end Evan Engram would miss the remainder of the team's game against the Houston Texans with a knee injury, with his status beyond that uncertain.

That means Eli Manning will have to look at spreading the ball around in New York's offense, with his dangerous young tight end out of action.

Odell Beckham Jr. will always get his targets regardless of who else is on the field, but he could see a few more looks his way without a healthy Engram. However, the injury will have bigger ramifications on the rest of the receiving corps.

As an ankle injury limited Beckham to just four games last year, Engram led New York with 64 receptions and six touchdowns, and he finished nine yards shy of the team lead at 722. In other words, that's a lot of production that needs replaced.

The most obvious candidate to see an increase in numbers would be Rhett Ellison. The 6'5", 254-pound tight end is coming off his most productive season to date, hauling in 24 catches for 235 yards and two touchdowns in 2017. Now that the starting tight end is dealing with injury, he figures to see more time on the field—and targets as a result.

Ellison is the clear handcuff at tight end, already registering a touchdown reception with Engram out of action. While there are better options in general and he should be considered a TE2, he's not a bad option to roster as your backup or to have around in deep leagues.

Meanwhile, Sterling Shepard should also become a more attractive option for fantasy football owners. The 5'10", 203-pound receiver led the Giants with 731 yards a season ago. That came during a time when Beckham was out for the majority of the year, New York's offensive line was a major liability and there was uncertainty at the quarterback position.

Even with Beckham healthy, Shepard has established himself as a quality No. 2 option. The addition of veteran left tackle Nate Solder should give Manning time to throw. Subsequently, that will allow receivers like Shepard to see more targets.

Running back Saquon Barkley could also see more passes his way without Engram. He would provide a nice substitute for a safety blanket, especially since Ellison has averaged just 12.5 receptions throughout his career. Barkley's versatility makes him even more valuable for fantasy owners. 

It was just last year that the Giants used a first-round pick on Engram in hopes he would take their passing attack up another notch. Now that he's sidelined, fantasy owners will look to other options to help their squads stay afloat.