87 Sterling Shepard WR

Shepard (ankle) will not play in Sunday's game against the Broncos, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com reports.

Shepard was not knocked out for the season last weekend like fellow receivers Odell Beckham and Brandon Marshall, but he was injured as well, and his setback will prevent him from taking the field this week. With all of the Giants' top three receivers sidelined against Denver, Roger Lewis and Tavarres King look to be the top options at the position, though neither carries much fantasy appeal this week against the Broncos' pair of talented corners.

Shepard (ankle) was absent from practice Thursday, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com reports.

Shepard's back-to-back absences from practice to begin the week only add further fuel to the notion that he'll likely miss Sunday's game against the Broncos. Once healthy, Shepard is expected to step in as the Giants' top receiver following the season-ending injuries to Odell Beckham (ankle) and Brandon Marshall (ankle), but at least for Week 6, it appears Roger Lewis -- the fourth receiver on the depth chart a week ago -- may have to masquerade as a No. 1 option in the passing game.

Shepard (ankle) is unlikely to play in Sunday's road game against the Broncos, Art Stapleton of The Bergen Record reports.

Shepard won't necessarily require a long-term absence, but it's apparently a bit much to ask that he avoid any missed time altogether. He was absent from Wednesday's practice after spraining his ankle in Sunday's 27-22 loss to the Chargers, leaving Roger Lewis, Tavarres King, Travis Rudolph and Ed Eagan as the Giants' only healthy wide receivers. Odell Beckham (ankle), Brandon Marshall (ankle) and Dwayne Harris (foot) were all placed on injured reserve earlier this week. Given the lack of talent surrounding him, Shepard figures to see a heavy target workload whenever he's ready to play. Lewis likely will serve as the team's No. 1 receiver in a nightmare matchup with the Broncos.

Shepard (ankle) wasn't on the field for practice Wednesday, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com reports.

The Giants are labeling Shepard as day-to-day with the left ankle sprain, which he sustained in Sunday's loss to the Chargers. Though Shepard was the only one out of the four Giants receivers who exited the Week 5 contest to avoid a trip to injured reserve, the team's new No. 1 wideout could be sidelined for the Week 6 tilt with the Broncos. Shepard will likely need to practice either Thursday or Friday in a limited capacity for the Giants to feel confident in his chances of suiting up. If Shepard is held out, Roger Lewis and the newly signed Tavarres King would likely represent quarterback Eli Manning's top targets at receiver.

Shepard (ankle), who is listed as day-to-day heading into the Week 6 matchup with the Broncos, was spotted in a walking boot Tuesday, Dan Duggan of The Newark Star-Ledger reports.

The Giants' newly anointed No. 1 receiver after Odell Beckham (ankle) and Brandon Marshall (ankle) suffered season-ending injuries in Sunday's loss to the Chargers, Shepard wasn't able to escape the game unscathed either, as he sprained the same left ankle that had previously slowed him during training camp. Though he's not looking at an extended absence, Shepard appears at major risk of missing the Week 6 contest. If Shepard is ultimately held out, Roger Lewis would be the only Giants wideout left standing from the Week 5 bloodbath. The injury might put a damper on Shepard's short-term outlook, but his fantasy appeal for the rest of the season will take a dramatic leap forward as the Giants look to replace the production of Beckham and Marshall. Quarterback Eli Manning had targeted either Beckham or Marshall on 36.6 percent of his 202 pass attempts through the Giants' first five games.