Shepard carted off at practice; Giants hopeful injury isn't serious

The New York Giants had an injury scare at Wednesday's training camp practice, where Sterling Shepard had to be carted off with an apparent ankle issue.

Initial reports indicated that the promising young wide receiver was in tears during his departure, a detail many considered to be indicative of the potential severity.

There appears to be some relative optimism as medical evaluations get underway, however, as head coach Ben McAdoo later told reporters that Shepard rolled his ankle, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. The hope appears to be that he escaped with nothing more than a sprain.

Any sort of significant absence for Shepard would certainly be a major blow to the New York passing game. But the early optimism can be taken as a positive sign until more information becomes available.

Shepard is poised for a major role alongside Odell Beckham Jr. and Brandon Marshall heading into his sophomore season. Making an immediate impact after landing with the Giants as a second-round pick last year, the former Oklahoma standout finished his rookie season with 65 receptions for 683 yards and eight touchdowns while starting all 16 games.