Odell Beckham Jr. did what he needed to do Friday night. The three catches for 53 yards in the Giants' preseason finale weren't gaudy, but they were enough. After the game, coach John Harbaugh said it plainly: Beckham has "done enough to make an NFL roster."
That's a strong endorsement from a coach not given to hype. It also moves Beckham from a longshot to a near-lock for the Giants' 53-man cutdown.
Beckham started and played the entire first half, finishing with those three receptions. He wasn't the star of the night, but he didn't need to be. He showed he can still play, and he did it with every rep counting.
The fantasy angle is simple. Beckham's first hurdle was making the team. The second is his role in the offense. If he lands as a rotational receiver with occasional targets, his fantasy ceiling is modest. But his big-play ability gives him spike-week potential in the right matchup.
For DFS purposes, he's a GPP-only play. The upside is real. The floor is a zero if he's on a snap count.
Harbaugh's comment didn't guarantee anything. Coaches say these things all the time. But Beckham told reporters it would "mean everything" to make the roster, and his preseason body of work backs that up. He showed enough in practice and in the game to earn a spot.
The Giants have receiver decisions to make this weekend. Beckham has the coach's endorsement, the experience, and the comeback narrative. That combination usually lands on the 53.
My take: Beckham makes the roster, and he's worth a late-round pick in deeper PPR leagues. The target share won't be huge, but the talent remains. When you can get a player of his history at that price, you take it.