The New York Giants (2-6) will host the San Francisco 49ers (5-3) at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Sunday afternoon in a Week 9 battle.
That, of course, provides those of us here at Giants Wire the opportunity to hypothetically steal from the 49ers’ roster in search of depth and/or talent upgrades for Big Blue.
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The 49ers have had mixed results on the field this season, largely due to injury, which has kept out some of their star players for extended periods of time. But in going over their roster, there are still an abundance of options to “steal” from.
Given their placement on injured reserve (IR), edge rusher Nick Bosa and linebacker Fred Warner were not deemed options.
Consideration was given to several players, including fullback Kyle Juszczyk, wide receivers Kendrick Bourne, Ricky Pearsall and Brandon Aiyuk, linebacker Dee Winters, safety Ji’Ayir Brown, and kicker Eddy Pineiro.
Ultimately, it came down to running back Christian McCaffrey and tight end George Kittle, given the Giants’ lacking playmakers following season-ending injuries to Cam Skattebo and Malik Nabers. It also factors in the lack of production and case of the dropsies currently being experienced by Theo Johnson.
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Neither player has produced at the clip we’re accustomed to this season, but that doesn’t make them any less valuable to a thin and starving Giants team.
Ultimately, we settled on McCaffrey because of his versatility and value as a receiver out of the backfield. He would not only replace Skattebo, but he would also provide rookie quarterback Jaxon Dart with a much-needed and reliable security blanket.
In eight games this season, McCaffrey has rushed for 490 yards (3.5 ypc) and three touchdowns, and hauled in 56 receptions for 559 yards and three additional touchdowns. He is on pace for 2,229 yards from scrimmage and 13 total touchdowns.
What do you say, Giants fans? Would you steal McCaffrey from the 49ers, or would you go in an entirely different direction?
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Gimme Him: One player New York Giants would steal from 49ers