Engram and running back Saquon Barkley were quarterback Eli Manning's most popular targets throughout training camp, and both pass catchers may be in line for heightened roles as receivers in 2019, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com reports.
Engram contributed a disappointing 45 catches for 577 yards and three touchdowns while injuries limited him to 11 games last season, but when healthy, the 25-year-old has been one of the more accomplished receivers among tight ends since entering the league in 2017. With star wideout Odell Beckham now in Cleveland and his expected replacement in the starting lineup, Golden Tate (suspension), out for the first four games, Engram should benefit from a spike in targets for at least the first quarter of the season. Tate's eventual return may not prove too punitive for Engram, whose 4.42 speed and high-end athleticism should help him get open with regularity and thus remain one of Manning's favored reads. As Raanan notes, Engram averaged 4.4 yards of separation per target last season, which led all NFL pass catchers.