Hakeem Nicks

Nicks is coming off a career-low 38 catches for 405 yards in 16 games for the Colts last season. That average of 10.7 yards per catch evidences Nicks’ diminished explosiveness after a series of foot injuries. On the bright side, Nicks’ four touchdowns last season were obviously better than the goose egg he posted in 2013.

Nicks stayed mostly healthy last year, but despite receiving 101 targets in 15 games, he failed to score a single touchdown. To be fair, he saw only 10 red-zone targets all year and one from inside the 10, so it’s not like the Giants were throwing the ball to him in the end zone very often. And Nicks managed a respectable 8.9 YPT (12th) while playing in a disastrous passing offense. At 6-1, 208 and with 4.51 speed, Nicks is on the lower-end of the size/speed spectrum for No. 1 receivers, but he’s strong, athletic and has huge hands, allowing him to play like a larger receiver. The biggest knock on Nicks is the constant injuries – he’s never played a full season in his five-year career, and while he’s always suited up for at least 13 games, he was far from full capacity in many of them. His troublesome knee seemed completely healed this offseason when he signed with the Colts, but his ankle was still a minor issue, and it's hard at this point to say how he’ll fit in with Reggie Wayne and T.Y. Hilton. While free agent receivers often struggle to adjust to new surroundings, the 26-year old Nicks is still near his physical prime, and his chief competition for targets are a 35-year old coming back from an ACL repair and a 5-9 speedster to whom the team never throws in the red zone. There’s upside here, especially with Andrew Luck under center.

Last year's numbers don't mean much for Nicks, who parlayed a broken foot in spring OTAs into a knee injury late in Week 2 and limped through the rest of the season. Nicks had a surgical cleanup of the knee in February and should be healthy for the start of training camp. As long as he stays that way, there's little doubt about Nicks' skills or situation. At 6-1, 210, but with huge hands and plus athleticism, Nicks plays bigger than he is. He's a quality red-zone target, a deep threat on the outside and a good runner after the catch. While Victor Cruz is back in the fold along with promising second-year man Rueben Randle, the Giants don't throw to their backs or tight ends an inordinate amount, so Nicks, Cruz and Randle should divide the vast majority of Eli Manning’s targets. Be sure to factor in Nicks' propensity to miss a game or two into your projections, however.

The sky’s the limit for Nicks – that is, if he can ever stay healthy. Nicks broke the fifth metatarsal bone in his right foot during OTAs in late May. He underwent surgery to insert a screw into the broken bone, and the initial estimate is that he will miss 12 weeks. That timetable suggests he could be ready by Week 1, but his status will be clearer during training camp. The broken foot is just the latest injury for Nicks. While he missed only one game last year, he played at less than 100 percent in several others with nagging hamstring and ankle injuries. And that follows an injury-nagged 2010 where he missed three games outright and a rookie season in 2009 where he missed two and played hurt in others. Even so, Nicks managed 1,192 yards on 15.7 YPC (10th) and 9.0 YPT (13th), with nine catches of 40-plus (tied for 9th) last year. Listed at 6-1, 210, Nicks plays far bigger thanks to his muscular build, his vertical leaping ability and his huge, strong hands. While Nicks saw just 15 red-zone targets (tied for 18th), seven of those were from inside the five-yard line (tied for 1st). Nicks scored just seven times last year, but had 11 touchdowns in 13 games in 2010, a number that’s more in line with his skill set and usage in the Giants offense. The emergence of Victor Cruz in the slot should create more room for Nicks on the outside, though newly signed 6-6 tight end Martellus Bennett has the potential to take away some of his red-zone looks.

If Nicks could ever stay healthy for a full season, we'd be looking at a top-tier receiver. At 6-1, 210, Eli Manning's top receiver plays even bigger thanks to his strength, athleticism and huge hands. Nicks isn't a burner, but he has enough speed to get behind the secondary, and he's able to outmuscle smaller corners in traffic. Nicks had just one catch for 40-plus but had 20 of 20-plus (4th), despite missing more than three full games. Nicks was also used heavily near the goal line – his 12 targets from inside-the-10 were just two off league-leader Larry Fitzgerald's 14. Nicks' per-play numbers were average (13.3 YPC, 8.2 YPT), but given his skills, role as the No. 1 receiver and red-zone target in a pass-friendly offense, there's plenty of upside if he puts the nagging ankle, leg and toe injuries behind him.

While Steve Smith emerged as the team’s goto possession target, Nicks staked his claim as its home run hitter. Despite missing two games of his rookie season with a sprained left foot — and subsequently divulging that he played the entire year with a broken toe — Nicks managed five plays of 40 yards or more (tied for 10th) on just 74 targets. And only Sidney Rice and Vincent Jackson averaged more than Nicks’ 10.7 yards per target among receivers with 70 or more. Nicks doesn’t have great timed speed (4.5 40), but he’s got excellent burst and seems to run faster in pads, creating separation and rarely getting caught from behind. At 6-1, 210, he’s got good size and athleticism, and his large hands help him pluck the ball out of the air in traffic. While Smith should again see more targets, the bigger, more physical, more explosive Nicks’ has the higher ceiling. Nicks is still recovering from foot surgery, and could be limited into training camp. He also had a minor procedure on his wrist, but is expected to be 100 percent heading into the season.

When Plaxico Burress went down last season, the team’s offensive balance fell apart, and its fortunes went down with it. Domenik Hixon and Steve Smith were insufficient as Eli Manning’s chief options, and at press time, the two are penciled in to return as starters. That means, barring a trade, the team will want to see what it has in its first-round pick. The 6-1, 210-pound Nicks isn’t fast, but he’s got good size and strength, and projects as a solid red-zone target. He runs good routes, has excellent hands and does a good job tracking the ball in the air. Nicks is polished for a college prospect, and is the type of rookie receiver, in the Anquan Boldin mold, who might be able to produce right away.