The sleeping Giants have awoken

What is perhaps the No. 1 key to succeeding in fantasy football?

It's a question with plenty of possible answers, but for my money it's this: Own as many players on the teams that average the most points. Pretty simple, huh?

So while I'll concede to you that it's early, who are those teams? The top eight in order: the Colts, Falcons, Eagles, Cowboys, Seahawks, Bengals, Giants and Ravens.

No huge surprises at the top of that list, but how about the Giants and Ravens? Last year, New York (18.4 ppg) and Baltimore (20.0) were both in the bottom third of the league in scoring. Now they're averaging a robust 25.8 points per game.

I want to focus on the Giants here because from what I've seen, it's their arrow that's really pointing up. Coach Tom Coughlin's team got off to a ghastly start, losing 35-14 to Detroit and 25-14 to Arizona.

But lo and behold, Eli Manning and Co. found a pulse and exploded for 868 yards of total offense and 75 points in wins over Houston and Washington. What's most encouraging is that 347 of those yards came on the ground as the Giants imposed their will in those 2 victories.

The reasons behind the resurgence are numerous but boil down to the fact that the Giants have found a hungry, veteran lead tailback in Rashad Jennings, they unearthed an undrafted beast of a tight end in Larry Donnell and they have solid wideouts in Victor Cruz and Rueben Randle.

From 2009-11 Manning was a viable option as a starting fantasy QB, but he fell off the map the last two seasons, finishing 17th in 2012 and 24th in 2013 in fantasy ppg among those with 10 or more games played. Now, though, it's time to consider using him on a full-time basis, especially with only two rough matchups on New York's schedule (at Seattle in Week 10, vs. San Fran in Week 11).

Cruz has come along nicely, Jennings and Donnell are near must-starts at this point and I think Randle is a viable plug-and-play option when you need a fill-in.

So for those of you limping along at this point, plug some gaps with one or more of these G-men.

And who knows? You might just be known as G-money by season's end.

Free-agent finds?

My thoughts on a few hot receivers:

• San Diego's Eddie Royal. Any time a player has back-to-back 2-TD weeks, we certainly need to sit up and take notice and a whole lot of people did this week as Royal was owned in just 30 percent of cbssportsline leagues on Tuesday, but was up to 79 percent by Thursday. Still, Royal is the Chargers' third WR, and since catching 91 passes as a rookie in 2008, he's averaged 37 catches for 398 yards. Even with a career-high 8 TDs last year, Royal finished just 38th in fantasy points among wideouts. So Royal remains a WR4/5 — someone you can play in a pinch but not somebody to count on week in and week out.

• Oakland's James Jones (63 percent). On a well-rounded team, Jones gives me just what I want out of a WR3: someone who consistently scores 7-8 points while throwing in an occasional 15-plus-point week. Jones is on pace for 84 catches for 1,088 yards and 8 TDs.

• Cleveland's Andrew Hawkins (59 percent). The only reason Hawkins isn't on more teams is he hasn't found the end zone. Hawkins' consistency (games of 87, 70 and 87 yards) is enough that he should be rostered in most leagues.

• Jacksonville's Allen Hurns (46 percent). After his 2-TD explosion in Week 1, I wrote that Hurns would average 45 yards a game and score 4 more TDs the rest of the way. That's about what he's on pace for, and I expect his numbers to mirror Royal's the rest of the way.

• Atlanta's Devin Hester (17 percent). Amazing but true: the ex-Bear ranks in the top 20 in fantasy points among WRs. But to own him is a wasted roster spot unless you are in a league with 14 or more teams. He's too unpredictable and will almost certainly finish outside the top 50 by season's end.

Good bets

• Texans QB Ryan Fitzpatrick at Dallas. A crazy pick? Sure. But if you're desperate, I see Fitzpatrick throwing for 280-300 yards and 2 TDs in what figures to be a 28-24 ballgame.

• Giants QB Eli Manning and RB Rashad Jennings vs. Atlanta. Only the Bucs and Jags have allowed more points than the Falcons. It's All Systems Go for the G-men.

• Eagles RB LeSean McCoy vs. St. Louis. Putting him here in case any of you are actually thinking of sending McCoy to the bench. Don't do it. There's not many teams better to bust out of a slump against than the Rams, who allow 155 rushing yards a game.

• Bengals RB Giovani Bernard at New England. He's a top-5 play against the reeling Patriots.

• Rams WR Brian Quick at Philadelphia. Pierre Garcon (11-138-1), DeSean Jackson (5-117-1) and Allen Hurns (4-110-2) are among those who have abused the Eagles thus far. Quick should hit double-digit points.

• Browns WR Andrew Hawkins at Tennessee. After a solid opener, the Titans have completely fallen apart, allowing 100 points the last three weeks.

• Panthers WR Kelvin Benjamin vs. the Bears. Make no mistake: the Panthers' putrid offense isn't doing fantasy owners a lot of good. And Cam Newton's not about to slice the Bears apart like Aaron Rodgers did last week. But Benjamin, the 6-foot-5, 240-pound beast of a rookie, is nearly a lock for a TD in this one.

• Chargers defense vs. the Jets. New York's in the top 10 for allowing fantasy points, making San Diego a solid play at home.

Bad bets

• Eagles QB Nick Foles vs. St. Louis. RT Lane Johnson returns from suspension, but Philly's line hasn't impressed this season. I see Foles finishing with 250 yards, a TD and 1-2 INTs.

• Seahawks QB Russell Wilson at Washington. Wilson just isn't the same QB on the road.

• Bills RB C.J. Spiller at Detroit. When is Fred Jackson finally going to retire?

• Texans RB Arian Foster at Dallas. No way I trust him after an 8-carry, 6-yard game.

• Patriots WR Julian Edelman vs. Cincinnati. Scary fact: If you concede that the Bills (79), Jets (79) and Pats (80) are all essentially tied in points per game, only the Titans, Jaguars, Raiders, Rams, Bucs and Panthers are averaging fewer points than New England.

• Jets WR Eric Decker at San Diego. Fourteen catches in four games? No thanks.

• Skins WRs Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson vs. Seattle. Apparently Kirk Cousins needs a bit more seasoning.

jdietz@dailyherald.com