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Giants’ Sterling Shepard breaks thumb at training camp, putting Week 1 status up in the air

The Giants‘ first day of training camp wasn’t a memorable one for Sterling Shepard

The receiver left practice on Thursday with a hand injury that was later diagnosed as a fractured thumb, which will likely keep out for the rest of training camp. According to NFL.com, Shepard’s thumb is going to take about six weeks to heal, which basically makes him questionable for Week 1. Officially, the Giants have listed Shepard as week-to-week. 

Not having Shepard on the field to start the regular season would potentially be a blow for Eli Manning and the Giants offense. With Odell Beckham now in Cleveland, Shepard went into camp as the Giants’ top returning receiver from 2018. Last season, Shepard caught 66 passes for 872 yards and four touchdowns. 

Although the Giants added Golden Tate during the offseason, the team was expecting a lot from Shepard, and that’s mainly because he has three years of experience in New York that Tate doesn’t have. 

Before training camp kicked off on Thursday, Giants coach Pat Shurmur was actually asked about Shepard and if he thought the 26-year-old could be the team’s No. 1 receiver. 

“I think he can be,” Shurmur said, via quotes distributed by the team. “Sterling is a football player, and we appreciate his toughness and his ability to make plays, and all the things he adds to the team. He’s a value-added guy in my mind. He plays his position, but he makes the people around him better. I think that’s what all the players should strive to do.”

Shepard’s injury will almost certainly mean more training camp snaps for Darius Slayton, Cody Latimer and Corey Coleman.

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