Why Darius Slayton's Production Has Tailed Off This Season

Darius Slayton hasn't had the same kind of impact on the Giants passing game as he did as a rookie. Here is a look at why that might be the case.

Last year as a rookie, receiver Darius Slayton, the Giants fifth-round draft pick, seemed to emerge out of thin air to finish as the team’s touchdown leader (receiving and rushing) with eight touchdowns in 14 games played to go along with 48 receptions (out of 84 pass targets) for 740 yards, a 15.42 per catch rate and 189 yards after the catch.

With that kind of production, hopes soared sky-high that Slayton's second NFL season and first in the projected vertical passing offense run by offensive coordinator Jason Garrett would make his rookie season production look like peanuts.

Unfortunately, that hasn't been the case. This year Slayton seems to have all but vanished into that same thin air, his contributions to the passing game in receiving yardage and scoring tailing off.

In 13 games played, Slayton has caught 42 balls out of 75 targets for 629 yards and 126 yards after the catch. After starting with two receiving touchdowns in the regular-season opener against Pittsburgh, he has since added one more touchdown in Week 9 against the Washington Football Team.

What happened?

“I think it's opportunities,” said receivers coach Tyke Tolbert. “He hasn't had opportunities to make plays. We'll try to, you know, call it the best plays possible to help our offense, and it's just opportunities to make a lot of plays are not there right now for him for whatever reason.”

The numbers would suggest otherwise. Last season Slayton was targeted 80 times. This year, he’s been targeted 73 times, which would indicate that Slayton isn’t converting on as many opportunities that do come his way.

Except that notion isn't supported by the stats. Last year he caught 48 out of 80 pass targets (60%) for 740 yards and eight touchdowns. This season, he’s caught 42 out of 73 targets (57.5%) for 629 yards and three touchdowns.

These days, Slayton’s time seems to be spent more as a downfield blocker for the running game, which has taken center stage for the Giants despite the loss of running back Saquon Barkley. 

Route	2019 Percentage	2020 Percentage (through Week 14)
Go Route	23.4%	24.2%
Hitch	20%	17%
Slant	13.4%	11.4%
In	7.2%	9.6%
Crossing	5.9%	8.&%

But even that has come with some struggles, calling into question the matter of a foot injury that Slayton dealt with earlier in the season and if that is responsible for the drop-off in his overall production.

“No, not at all. Not at all,” Tolbert said. “Darius, when he comes to Sunday, he's full of speed and ready to go. There's nothing to do with the foot or anything like that—no injuries involved.”

Not all has been a disaster for Slayton in his second season. He remains the most frequently targeted receiver on pass attempts of 20+ yards, and the only Giants pass target from among the receivers and tight ends to have double-digit pass targets.

Of his 73 deep routes, he’s been targeted 14 times and has caught five balls for 165 yards and two touchdowns, a 35.7 catch rate%. But the Giants haven’t attempted nearly as many deep passes this year (30) as they did last season (63).

“I tell the guys, if it's a run game, you go make your blocks,” Tolbert said. “If it's a pass game, just keep getting open--we'll find you.”