The Giants and WR Victor Cruz have agreed to a 6-year, $45.9 million deal.  The team clearly won out at the negotiating table, with Cruz's $7.65 million annual salary coming in well below the $10+ million he was originally asking for.  The G-Men now have Cruz locked up through the 2018 season, when he'll be 31 years old.  The contract stabilizes his short and long-term fantasy values.  Cruz finished 3rd among WRs in fantasy points in his breakout 2011 campaign, and then followed it up with a 14th-place finish last year.  He'll have every opportunity to be a top 15 WR in 2013 and beyond.

The Giants and WR Victor Cruz are expected to agree to a long-term deal "within the next 10 days," according to ESPN's Chris Mortensen. "Everybody I’ve spoken to expects that deal to absolutely get done," Mort said. "To a 100% degree of certainty, Victor Cruz will have a new contract by the time the Giants open training camp."  No surprise here.  Tensions between Cruz and the G-Men were cooled considerably when Cruz elected to sign his 1-year restricted free-agent tender a couple weeks ago.  If he's signed, sealed and delivered for the start of training camp, the contract situation will have no impact on his 2013 fantasy football value.  Cruz currently sits 12th in our WR Rankings.

ESPN's Ed Werder reports that Giants WR Victor Cruz will sign his restricted free-agent tender before June 17th.  That's the date when the team can lower the tender offer from $2.9 million to $660K.  In the meantime, the 2 sides will continue to negotiate a long-term deal.  Cruz could still hold out if that doesn't happen by training camp, but he'd face a hefty fine.  At this point, there's no reason to believe Cruz's 2013 fantasy football value will be affected by the contract situation.

Giants WR Victor Cruz has worried fantasy players this offseason by not signing a new contract with the team.  For the time being, the Giants have not offered him the, roughly $10 million he is reportedly looking for.  But the buzz around NYC is that team officials expect the deal to be done by June 17th contract deadline – after which the Giants can cut Cruz’s contract tender.  Just like with most major contracts this will probably come down to the wire.  But we’re confident that Cruz will re-sign and be ready to play at the same level he did last year.  Cruz’s 2013 fantasy draft stock as well as his play this season shouldn’t be affected by the situation.  His current ADP is 4.03 and should trend upward next month.

Pro Football Talk hears that contract talks between the Giants and WR Victor Cruz are "moving slowly."  We suppose that's better than no movement at all.  But the 2 sides are reportedly still at least $3 million apart in annual salary.  Cruz is looking for $10 million per year.  The Giants are believed to be offering $7 million.  We're still about a month away from the first real pressure point.  That will come on June 17th when the team can replace the 1-year, $2.9 million restricted free-agent tender with a $594K offer.  The situation could get ugly at that point.  We doubt it gets there, though, and won't worry about Cruz's 2013 outlook unless it does.

Giants GM Jerry Reese isn't ruling out a holdout by WR Victor Cruz.  “We’ll see,” Reese said. “I can tell you this: When we get ready to play, when the season starts, we will have some good players out there. I’m not sure if Victor will be there or not. But I don’t assume anything.”  Cruz was slapped with a 1st-round restricted free-agent tender earlier this offseason.  That will pay him $2.9 million this year.  Cruz is looking for a long-term deal, and the Giants want the same.  But the 2 sides are reportedly far apart on money.  Cruz is looking for $10-11 million per year, while the G-Men have only offered $7.  It doesn't sound like Cruz plans on showing up for any team activities until a long-term contract is in place.  That could change on June 17th, though, when the Giants can lower Cruz's salary to $630K.  We won't start to worry about Cruz's fantasy football outlook until that point.

The Giants began voluntary workouts today at team facilities.  Giants WR Victor Cruz did not, according to USA Today's Mike Garafolo.  That news should surprise no one, of course.  Cruz continues to seek a long-term deal from the team that merely applied a 1st-round tender to the restricted free agent this offseason.  We still fully expect a deal to happen.  It's not yet clear whether Cruz would skip "mandatory" workouts without a new contract.  Until he signs his RFA tender or a longer-term deal, however, the team won't be able to mandate anything.  It's also worth noting that Cruz did work out with Giants QB Eli Manning at Duke University last week.

ESPN's Adam Schefter says it's his "strong belief" that Giants WR Victor Cruz won't get an offer sheet by the April 19 deadline.  The restricted free agent carries a 1st-round tender, so any team hoping to sign him would have to surrender its top pick in the upcoming NFL draft if the Giants refused to match.  That seems like a price worth paying for a 26-year-old wideout who will at least be better than any rookie WR in 2013.  Of course, we can't complain about Cruz's fantasy value if he sticks around New York.  He should remain in the WR1 discussion come draft time.

Giants co-owner Steve Tisch said the team expects restricted free-agent WR Victor Cruz to get a big contract offer somewhere. Tisch expects more than the $6 million average that Wes Welker and Danny Amendola each got last week. Tisch also said the Giants plan to do whatever they can to keep Cruz. any other team that hopes to sign Cruz would have to surrender a 1st-round pick. Of course, they'd also have to hope the Giants refuse to match.

Colts owner Jim Irsay has taken to speaking in code on Twitter about a big WR deal his team has in the works.  Speculation has primarily focused on Giants WR Victor Cruz, a restricted free agent.  But Irsay said today that Cruz is not his mark.  The Giants tendered Cruz at the 1st-round level, so any team that signs him away would have to surrender a Round 1 pick this April.  That looks like a worthwhile price for some teams from here, but it's unlikely to happen in a league that often overvalues draft picks.

The Giants have given WR Victor Cruz the 1st-round restricted free-agent tender.  As expected.  Another team would now need to sign Cruz to a long-term deal and surrender a 1st-round pick to steal him away from New York.  It won't happen.  The bigger issue is a potential holdout by Cruz.  He's set to make just $2.9 million in 2013.  Both sides are interested in a long-term deal, though, and have plenty of time to work one out.  We're not sounding the alarms yet.

The Giants scooped up LSU WR Rueben Randle with the 63rd pick of the draft. Considered a potential 1st-round pick, Randle boasts a tasty combination of size (6’3, 212 pounds) and speed (4.5). He’s also given high marks for his acceleration and route-running. In New York, Randle could be an immediate replacement for WR Mario Manningham. That’d allow WR Victor Cruz to stick in the slot.

Giants WR Victor Cruz isn't listed on the team's injury report for the NFC Championship.  Cruz took a helmet to the thigh in the 4th quarter last weekend, but he'll be a full-go this Sunday's game against the 49ers.

Giants WR Victor Cruz suffered a thigh injury late in Sunday's game against the Packers, not a knee as previously reported.  Regardless, it doesn't sound like anything serious.  "I just got a little helmet to the thigh, but it’s nothing a little ice can’t heal," Cruz said on Monday.  He should be good to go for this weekend's NFC Championship against the 49ers.  Cruz has 7 catches for 102 yards in 2 postseason games.

Giants WR Victor Cruz suffered a minor knee injury in the 4th quarter of Sunday's win over the Packers.  He never returned but fully expects to play against the 49ers this weekend.  "I’ll be ready to go," Cruz said.  We'll track his practice participation throughout the week.

Falcons CB Brent Grimes (knee) is a surprise inactive for today's game against the Giants.  He's been Atlanta's top cover guy all season, so it's a big blow.  They figure to struggle containing WRs Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz.  QB Eli Manning is set up for a big day.

Giants WR Victor Cruz (hip) is listed as probable for Sunday's game against the Packers.  The injury was never a real concern -- Cruz put in full practices on Thursday and Friday.  He figures to see quite a bit of CB Charles Woodson this weekend, but Cruz is too hot to bench in fantasy leagues.

After being limited on Wednesday, Giants WR Victor Cruz (hip) put in a full practice on Thursday.  He's a full-go for Sunday's game against the Packers.  And Cruz should be busy with both Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham banged-up.

Giants WR Victor Cruz was limited on Wednesday with a hip injury.  HC Tom Coughlin didn't sound concerned, saying only that it "may slow him down for a day."  The red-hot Cruz should be fine for this weekend's game against the Packers.

Giants beat writer Ralph Vacchiano confirms that Victor Cruz is still behind Domenik Hixon for the team's 3rd WR spot.  Cruz is a better fit in the slot, but he didn't show much in training camp and only caught 1 ball in the team's first preseason game.  He's looking more like a potential in-season pickup than a late-round flier.