Shane Vereen
  • Shane Vereen

  • RB
  • ,
  • 35
  • 205 lbs
  • 5' 10"
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Scouting report

by Brandon Niles

NYG RB Shane Vereen - Week 2 Fantasy Football Outlook

Week 2 vs. Detroit Lions

Shane Vereen didn’t receive a carry last week against the Cowboys, but he did lead the team with 9 receptions on 10 targets, and he wound up with 51 yards. The Giants should continue to use Vereen in the passing game, although some of those targets will likely go to Odell Beckham Jr. if he returns as expected in Week 2.

Vereen is a low-end flex/RB3 option at best in PPR formats this week, as the Lions allowed 9 catches and 105 yards receiving to the Cardinals’ trio of running backs last week. It’s hard to trust anyone in the New York backfield, but if you’re desperately looking for a PPR option likely to get you a few points, Vereen has some upside.

by Brandon Niles

NYG RB Shane Vereen - Week 1 Fantasy Football Outlook

Week 1 at Dallas Cowboys

Shane Vereen was hurt most of last year and limited to only five games of action. However, he caught 59 passes in 2015, and he should continue his role as the primary receiving threat out of the New York backfield this season.

Vereen faces a tough task in Week 1, though, as the Cowboys were one of the best run defenses in the league last year. They allowed only nine touchdowns on the ground and were fifth in the league with only 19.1 points allowed per game. Vereen has some low-end potential in PPR formats, but this probably isn’t the week to start him.

by Brandon Niles

NYG RB Shane Vereen - 2017 Fantasy Football Outlook

Fantasy Upside

Shane Vereen’s value has always been primarily as a pass-catcher out of the backfield. After a successful stint with the Patriots, Vereen came to the Giants in 2015 and caught 59 passes for 495 yards and 4 touchdowns. He added 260 yards on the ground as well. While Vereen missed 11 games last season, he still averaged nearly four targets per game in the limited time he played, and Eli Manning threw 114 passes to the running back position during the year. If healthy, Vereen should get the bulk of those targets this year, making him a viable PPR option.

Fantasy Downside

Coming off an injury-marred season is concerning for Vereen, who also struggled with injuries his first three years in New England. Vereen isn’t a feature back and at 28 years old, he’s unlikely to suddenly become a full-time RB1 option for the team, which limits his overall upside. Unsteady production and a limited role add a lot of risk in drafting the veteran.

2017 Bottom Line

Vereen is a cheap option in auction leagues and a low-cost option in standard redraft leagues as a bench RB. He gets a value boost value in PPR formats, and because he’s lasting all the way to the end of most drafts, he’s worth considering as a potential bye-week filler. Vereen isn’t going to win your league for you, but he might be a quality depth guy who won’t kill you if you have to use him for short stints.

by Brandon Niles

NYG RB Shane Vereen - Week 3, 2016 Fantasy Football Outlook

Week 3 vs. Washington
Shane Vereen got more work last week with Rashad Jennings a little banged up. He finished the game with 14 carries and three receptions for a total of 66 yards. Don’t expect those kinds of carries each week, but he should still be a solid low-end PPR option in most weeks due to the work he does in the passing game.

This week, Vereen has a nice matchup against a Washington team that gave up three rushing touchdowns last week, including one to QB Dak Prescott. He has some upside, especially in PPR leagues, since Washington doesn’t look like they can stop anyone right now. He’s not a bad RB3 option this week.

Update:
With Jennings out against Washington, Vereen gets boosted up into RB2 territory in most leagues, especially in PPR formats. Vereen will probably still split time, but should be in for a bigger workload.

by Brandon Niles

NYG RB Shane Vereen - Week 2, 2016 Fantasy Football Outlook

Week 2 vs. New Orleans

Shane Vereen was targeted five times in the passing game last week, second most on the team, and he ended up catching three passes for only 23 yards. He also had 38 rushing yards on six carries. While those totals don’t do a ton to inspire confidence in him as a legit fantasy option, it was encouraging to see him get nine touches and five targets. If he continues to get that many looks each game, he’ll have value, especially in PPR leagues.

This might not be a terrible week to gamble on him as a low-end RB3 or Flex option if you are in a PPR league. The Saints gave up 167 yards and three touchdowns on the ground last week against the Raiders, and the last time these two teams played each other, there were 101 points scored! While it’s a lot to expect that much scoring again, Vereen had eight catches for 60 yards and a touchdown in that game, and I don’t think it’s unreasonable to think he’ll get 6-10 targets this week.

by Brandon Niles

NYG RB Shane Vereen - Week 1, 2016 Fantasy Football Outlook

Week 1 at Dallas
The Giants have Rashad Jennings as the starting back, but Shane Vereen should still get a fair amount of looks in the passing game. He averaged 3.7 catches per game last year, along with 3.8 carries. He should continue in that 3rd down role, getting about 6-12 touches each week and putting up modest numbers.

Dallas was better against the pass than they were against the run last year, as they gave up the fifth most rushing touchdowns to opposing offenses. Vereen isn’t a great option, but he has PPR value in large leagues as a low-end RB3 option.

by Brandon Niles

NYG RB Shane Vereen - 2016 Fantasy Football Outlook

Fantasy Upside
The Giants have a crowded backfield, but Shane Vereen should continue to be the most reliable fantasy producer of the bunch. While he only had 260 yards on the ground last year, Vereen was used heavily in the passing game and was on the field for 39 percent of the team’s offensive snaps – more than any other running back on the roster. He was also targeted 81 times, third most on the team, and had four touchdown receptions. As the Giants continue to look for their workhorse, between-the-tackles runner, Vereen should have no problem duplicating last year’s production in the passing game. Additionally, Vereen was used heavily in the red zone last year, and his 16 touches were second among Giants behind only Rashad Jennings.

Fantasy Downside
Vereen only had 61 carries last year, making his impact in the running game limited. He also finished with just four touchdowns on the season, although his high usage in the red zone might make that an anomaly. Still, his upside is limited by the committee approach the Giants used last year and are likely to use again in 2016 with rookie Paul Perkins now in the mix. Expecting a big improvement over the 110 touches he had last season, including 59 receptions, might be expecting a bit too much.

2016 Bottom Line
Vereen is a nice fantasy option as depth on your roster with higher potential in PPR leagues. In standard leagues, his value takes a hit, but he’s still a solid option for fantasy owners looking for consistent points on bye weeks. Vereen is a nice value pick toward the end of drafts. If you can put him on your bench for the cost of a late-round pick (past round 16-17 in most leagues), he’s not a bad player to round out your roster.

Shane Vereen news