Victor Cruz

Victor Cruz

37-Year-Old Wide ReceiverWR
 Free Agent  
2023 Fantasy Outlook
There was no outlook written for Victor Cruz in 2023. Check out the latest news below for more on his current fantasy value.
$Released by the Bears in September of 2017.
Announces retirement
WRFree Agent
August 21, 2018
Cruz is retiring from football to join ESPN as an NFL analyst, ESPN.com reports.
ANALYSIS
Cruz said this past spring that he hoped to continue his playing career, but it was never a likely proposition after he failed to make the Bears' 53-man roster last year. Though serviceable for the Giants in 2016, he's never come close to the pre-injury form he displayed from 2011 to 2013 -- a stretch in which he averaged 79 receiving yards per game. Cruz went undrafted out of UMass in 2010, then burst onto the scene with 1,536 receiving yards in 2011 while helping the Giants win a Super Bowl. He retires at the age of 31, with each of his 303 career receptions coming in a Giants uniform.
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Fantasy/Red Zone Stats
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2016
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Scoring
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Receiving Alignment Breakdown
See where Victor Cruz lined up on the field and how he performed at each spot.
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2023 Victor Cruz Split Stats
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Measurables Review
How do Victor Cruz's measurables compare to other wide receivers?
This section compares his draft workout metrics with players at the same position. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that metric and it would be considered average.
* All metrics are from his Pro Day (not the combine).
Height
6' 0"
 
Weight
204 lbs
 
40-Yard Dash
4.47 sec
 
Shuttle Time
4.17 sec
 
Cone Drill
6.96 sec
 
Vertical Jump
41.5 in
 
Broad Jump
125 in
 
Bench Press
16 reps
 
Past Fantasy Outlooks
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
The 30-year-old was looking to rejuvenate his career in Chicago after the Giants released him in February. While he wasn't as productive as seasons past -- 39 receptions for 586 yards and one touchdown in 15 games -- Cruz was able to maintain his health after logging just six appearance between 2014 and 2015. He was cut by the Bears in September.
The one-time superstar hasn't played since October 2014 when he tore a patellar tendon. After surgery, he was cleared to play but suffered a calf strain in camp. The strain lasted into the season, and he was eventually put on IR. Cruz had surgery, and declared himself 100 percent healthy in April, but after the long layoff and two surgeries, it's anyone's guess whether and to what extent he makes it back. Aware of the risk, the Giants consequently drafted Sterling Shepard, a small, quick, polished WR, capable of playing the slot. At 6-0, 204, with 4.47 speed and excellent quickness, Cruz was once the league's best slot WR, but his per-play production was already dropping before he got hurt. Then again, he barely played opposite Odell Beckham Jr. to benefit from single coverage. He is expected to be ready for training camp.
Only three years ago, Cruz was the unlikely toast-of-town superstar returning from a breakout season. Now it's Odell Beckham Jr., and Cruz will serve as the complementary target — assuming he can return to something approximating full health after he tore his patellar tendon in Week 6. At press time, Cruz had been running straight ahead without difficultly, but had yet to make lateral cuts or run routes. Both Cruz and the team are hopeful he'll suit up for Week 1, but whether that happens, and if so at what capacity, are open questions. At 6-0, 204, with 4.47 speed, Cruz has average size and runs well, but it's his unusual quickness and ability to accelerate that made him so dangerous at his peak. A healthy Cruz would likely see most of his work out of the slot with Beckham and Rueben Randle playing outside. In Ben McAdoo's west coast offense, Cruz would still get his looks, but barring an injury to Beckham, Cruz's best-case scenario is being the team's No. 2 receiver and making plays in the middle of the field while the second-year star takes the top off the defense.
A knee injury and a concussion ended Cruz’s season two games early, but he – and the Giants passing game as a whole – were in freefall long before that. In fact, after scoring four times in his first four games, Cruz didn’t score again all season, and three of Cruz’s four 100-yard games also took place in the season’s first quartile. Bad playcalling, terrible offensive line play and a poor season from quarterback Eli Manning were largely responsible for the team’s across-the-board offensive decline, so there’s reason to think the 27-year old Cruz can bounce back so long as the team does. To that end, the Giants jettisoned long-time offensive coordinator Kevin Gilbride, and brought in former Packers quarterback coach Ben McAdoo. McAdoo plans to install more of a West Coast style offense that should result in quicker-developing plays and more short receptions for Cruz and the other Giant receivers. At 6-0, 204 and with 4.47 40 speed, Cruz has decent size and good speed, and he’s exceptionally quick and dangerous in open space. Last year’s per-play numbers (13.7 YPC, 8.2 YPT) were passable, but Cruz’s ceiling is quite a bit higher should the offense return to something resembling its 2011 peak. To that end, the Giants took speedster Odell Beckham with the 12th overall pick in May. Beckham should see targets right away, but is probably more of a threat to teammate Rueben Randle than Cruz. Cruz had arthroscopic surgery on his knee in December but declared himself 100 percent healthy in April.
On paper, Cruz's second year as a starter was a success. But if you look more closely, he took a big step back. Cruz's YPC plummeted from 18.7 to 12.7, and his YPT followed suit (11.7 to 7.6 – 23rd among the league’s 39 100-target WR). Cruz also tied for the league lead in drops (11) and finished third in drop percentage (7.7.) Still, there's plenty to like here. At 6-0, 204, Cruz has good size for a slot receiver with elite quickness. He's also dangerous after the catch and a very tough cover for opposing defensive backs. Cruz was also effective in the red zone, scoring on six of his 19 targets. With Hakeem Nicks likely to be healthier this year, Cruz will find himself splitting targets more often, but he should also have more room to operate and less pressure to carry the team’s passing game.
Were it not for a season-ending ACL injury to Giants No. 3 WR Domenik Hixon in Week 2, Cruz might still remain a secret to his own team. As it turns out, Cruz got into the mix in Week 3, and had 80 catches for 1,519 yards over his next 14 games. Prorated over a full season, that’s 1,736 yards or what would be the fourth highest total in NFL history. At just 6-0, 204, Cruz isn’t big, but he’s lightning quick in and out of his breaks and knows how to setup defenders instinctively to get open in the slot. He’s also dangerous with the ball in his hands, finishing second in the league in yards-after-the-catch to Wes Welker on 42 less targets. Among the league’s 32 100-target receivers, Cruz was first in both yards per target (11.7) and yards per catch (18.7), and he managed nine scores despite only eight red-zone targets and five looks from inside the 10. Cruz understandably is looking for the Giants to restructure his contract – he made just $450,000 in 2011 – but has vowed not to hold out irrespective of his status on that front. As such, he’ll return to the team as one of Eli Manning’s top targets alongside Hakeem Nicks, who is questionable for Week 1 with a foot injury. Nicks’ status shouldn’t affect Cruz too much – he’ll be both heavily targeted and heavily covered regardless of whether Nicks is on the field early in the year.
Reserve receiver vying for a role on the team.
Long shot to make the team as a reserve wideout.
More Fantasy News
Wants to play again
WRFree Agent
May 9, 2018
Cruz hopes to continue his NFL career but plans to retire if he doesn't sign with a team before the start of the 2018 season, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com reports.
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Cut loose by Bears
WRFree Agent
Knee
September 2, 2017
The Bears released Cruz (knee) on Saturday.
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Receives 'clean bill of health'
WRChicago Bears
Knee
September 2, 2017
On Saturday, Cruz (knee) told Josina Anderson of ESPN that he received a "clean bill of health" after a recent MRI.
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Candidate to be released
WRChicago Bears
Knee
September 1, 2017
The Bears are expected to either release Cruz (knee) or place him on injured reserve in the near future, contingent upon the results of an MRI, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
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Injures knee in preseason finale
WRChicago Bears
Knee
August 31, 2017
Cruz suffered a knee injury and is questionable to return to Thursday's preseason game against the Browns, Adam Hoge of WGN Radio 720 AM Chicago reports.
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