(Updated at 5:05 p.m.)

EAST RUTHERFORD -- Talk about returning with a bang. Even before Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.'s tender hamstring is completely at full strength, the first-round pick is dreaming big.

Beckham, who participated in individual drills Monday at training camp for the first time since the first practice No. 1, did more on Tuesday. He participated in "individual … plus." That means he did ndividual drills and some team periods (i.e. 7-on-7 drills).

The hope is that coming soon Beckham will be a full participant in practice. That is when the offense will be much closer to full strength, and able to show what he thinks it can do this season.

"It has potential to be, if not the best, one of the best in the league if you have a receiving corps like we do and a great quarterback along with the backfield and the tight ends and much improvement from the offensive line," Beckham said. "I don't see anything but being one of the best in the league this year."

What makes him so certain?

"Everything really -- the scheme, the talent, what I've seen and what I've seen for the potential to be," he said. "I'm just looking forward to being a piece of the puzzle."

That's a bold statement. Beckham must not have watched a lot of Giants games last year (when they were 28th in the league in total offense), or even much of the first two preseason games he missed because of the hamstring injury. The first-team passing offense has been pedestrian, at best. Manning didn't complete a pass in two attempts in more than a quarter of action on Saturday night against the Steelers.

Having Beckham back could help. The Giants have big plans for the rookie receiver, hoping he could become a game-breaking playmaker on the outside.

It will take time. Beckham admitted the hamstring isn't at 100 percent and he's not at full strength yet. It's unlikely he'll be ready for this Saturday's preseason game against the Colts.

"That's up to the trainers," Beckham said.

But they're hoping to have him back by the Jets game next Friday.

"Definitely think that is in the plan," Beckham said. "We're just waiting to see what they say."

In the meantime, Beckham's taking baby steps. Behind closed doors, he's working mostly on strengthening the hamstring through exercises and weight lifting (lots of leg curls).

On the field, he expects to do a little more each day. He has yet to turn it completely loose just yet. That will be a much more difficult test.

"I had to burst a little bit [Monday], but you don't want to open too much on the first day," he said. "That definitely wasn't full speed for sure. But it definitely felt good to get back out there and catch passes from a quarterback and not the JUGS machine."

Offensive coordinator Ben McAdoo liked what he saw on Monday was his new toy. The signs were encouraging.

"It was good to see Odell out there," McAdoo said. "He stuck his foot in the ground and looked pretty good. We'll see more from him [Tuesday]. He just has to get healthy. It comes slowly. He doesn't have to do it all in one day."

There is still a need to be cautious with the No. 12 overall pick in this year's draft. Beckham had a hamstring problem before last season at LSU. He's been struggling with it since OTAs in the spring. It's not something that right now he's able to put out of his mind and go out and just play.

"No, of course not," he said. "On the first day, that is what you've been waiting on -- getting over the hamstring injury. You're just out there running praying and hoping nothing goes wrong. It felt good."

The Giants are praying for more days like that too, and that Beckham's prediction on the offense is even remotely close to true.