During the month of July, the Last Word On Sports NFL department will determine which three players deserve to be considered the faces of each franchise. For this series, we will only consider active players. In this edition, the New York Giants are the focus.

Faces of the New York Giants

Eli Manning

What else is there to say about the two-time Super Bowl MVP that hasn’t already been said? Eli Manning is undoubtedly the premier face of the New York Giants and he has been the face for many years. After a miserable 2013 season that led some skeptical fans to question his future with the franchise, Manning rebounded in a big way in 2014. He finished the season with 4,410 passing yards (sixth in the NFL), 30 passing touchdowns (9th in the NFL), and a career-high completion percentage of 63.1. His interception total also dropped to 14 for the season, and this number was skewed by a miserable game against the 49ers in which he threw five interceptions. In fact, Eli threw zero interceptions in half of the games last season. As he enters his second year in Ben McAdoo’s offensive scheme, Eli should put up even bigger numbers in 2015. The return of Victor Cruz and the addition of Shane Vereen during the offseason should also help the passing game significantly. With a plethora of weapons at his disposal, Eli Manning should be aiming for a return to the Pro Bowl in 2015.

Odell Beckham Jr.

A large part of Eli Manning’s success last year can be credited to the rookie sensation that was Odell Beckham Jr. Besides hauling in one of the greatest catches in NFL history, Beckham Jr. won the Offensive Rookie of the Year award and made the Pro Bowl. After missing the first four games of the season with a hamstring injury, he went on a remarkable tear and nobody could shut him down. In just 12 games he hauled in 91 receptions (tied for 9th in the NFL) for 1,305 yards (10th in the NFL) and 12 touchdowns (tied for fourth in the NFL). In addition, he only dropped two passes in those 12 games. Just to prove how dominant he was last season, let’s extrapolate these numbers over a full 16-game season. The result is 121 receptions (would have been 2nd in the NFL), 1,740 yards (would have been 1st in the NFL), and 16 touchdowns (would have been tied for 1st in the NFL). As you can see, Odell Beckham Jr. was one of the best wide receivers in the league as a rookie last season and his future is very bright. If he stays healthy for a full season this year, his numbers should be even more impressive.

Jason Pierre-Paul

Despite the fireworks incident, Jason Pierre-Paul is still the most talented member of the defense by far and the success of the unit is dependent on his health. Additionally, every other potential candidate for this slot possesses question marks as well. Victor Cruz, Jon Beason, and Prince Amukamara all have injury concerns that diminish their arguments as the third face of the team. Jason Pierre-Paul excels against the run and against the pass, so he is a true three-down defensive end. As long as he returns to the field and performs capably, a long-term deal is on the horizon and he can become a fixture of this defense. After a relatively slow start in terms of sacks, Pierre-Paul finished the season strong and racked up a total of 12.5 sacks along with 53 tackles. Elite pass rushers are prized commodities for a reason and the Giants certainly need their prized jewel to be on the field.

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