87 Sterling Shepard WR

Shepard caught two of six targets for 17 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 40-16 win over the Redskins.

Shepard led his team in targets with Odell Beckham sidelined by a quadriceps injury, but three other Giants finished with more receiving yards. Beckham will likely return against the Titans in Week 15, bumping Shepard back down to the No. 2 wide receiver role in New York.

Shepard figures to see more targets after Odell Beckham (quadriceps) was surprisingly ruled out ahead of Sunday's contest against the Redskins.

It's been an inconsistent third season for Shepard to date, but the 24-year-old is poised for a major opportunity with the news that Beckham would not be available Sunday. Against a Redskins defense that has allowed the third-most fantasy points to the wide receiver position, Shepard figures to easily exceed 17.5 percent of the team targets -- his current average this season -- and should present a lucrative fantasy option for season-long and daily players alike.

Shepard (ribs) was a full practice participant Thursday, Dan Duggan of The Athletic reports.

Shepard missed a portion of the Giants' Week 13 win against the Bears to tend to a rib injury. After undergoing X-rays and a CT scan on the region, he told Art Stapleton of The Bergen Record on Monday that he would have to manage discomfort in his ribs, which explains his limitations in practice Wednesday. With a return in full Thursday, Shepard appears poised to handle his normal workload Sunday at Washington, which has equated to 92.3 percent of the snaps on offense this season (or a shade behind Odell Beckham's 93.8 percent). In Shepard's previous matchup with the Redskins in Week 8, he totaled four catches (on eight targets) for 34 yards.

Shepard (ribs) was a limited practice participant Wednesday, Art Stapleton of The Bergen Record reports.

The ability to practice in any capacity at the beginning of the week suggests Shepard has a good chance to play Sunday at Washington. He fought through the rib injury during Sunday's 30-27 win over Chicago, returning to the game after an X-ray didn't reveal any fractures. Shepard has failed to reach 40 yards in five consecutive games, including a 4-34-0 receiving line on eight targets against Washington in Week 8.

Shepard (ribs) received good news from X-rays and a CT scan, but he did say Monday that he's dealing with some pain, Art Stapleton of The Bergen Record reports.

Shepard was taken out of Sunday's 30-27 win over Chicago in the second quarter, but he rejoined the contest after halftime and finished with four catches for 28 yards on six targets. The injury might explain why the sure-handed wide receiver was unable to come down with a diving catch attempt in the end zone during the overtime period. Whatever the case, Shepard has now fallen shy of 40 yards in five consecutive games since his 167-yard explosion against the Falcons in Week 7. He'll be a tough man to trust for Week 14 at Washington, even if the rib injury dissipates before Sunday.