After David Wilson imploded in Sunday night's loss to the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin refused to say Wilson is the starting running back for Week 2. But Coughlin acknowledged: "He's still very much in our thoughts. He's gotta play."
Fantasy owners have to be freaked after Wilson's two-fumble disaster, and we wouldn't be surprised if Big Blue signs a veteran runner to share the load, but Wilson is determined to show coaches he's featured-back material.
"I'm just gonna keep working hard," he said Sunday, per The Record. "I'm at the bottom now. So nowhere to go but up from here. That's really all I got."
My colleague, Kevin Patra, reminds me that Wilson's words parallel Drake's handiwork. I don't listen to much Drake, and neither does Coughlin.
Coughlin is from the old world. He wants a running back who can hold onto the football and dig the Giants' offense out of a hole, instead of digging the pit they tumble into.
Wilson possesses as much explosive talent as any runner in the NFL today -- he'll be fine -- but he must develop into a complete back. If the Giants were deeper at the position, Wilson would be ticketed for the doghouse, but Coughlin knows there's nothing behind the running back after the team willingly parted ways with Ahmad Bradshaw.
UPDATE: Wilson soon might have competition in the backfield. The Giantswill work out Brandon Jacobs and Willis McGahee on Tuesday, NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported.
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