Finding someone to fill Odell Beckham Jr.’s shoes just got harder for the New York Giants. The main candidate to replace Beckham, wideout Sterling Shepard, fractured his thumb in practice Thursday.

Shepard is expected to miss time, though it’s unclear how long he’ll be out. The Giants said Shepard will be evaluated on a week-to-week basis.

The team will have to hope Shepard shows progress quickly. The regular season opens exactly six weeks from Thursday.

While the injury doesn’t guarantee Shepard will miss regular season games, it’s still a disappointing development for a player looking at a big opportunity in 2019.

With the trade of Beckham, the Giants are looking for a new No. 1 receiver. The 26-year-old Shepard could be that guy. The former second-rounder has shown promise throughout his career, posting a career-high 872 yards last season.

If Shepard has to miss time in the regular season, the team can rely on a combination of Golden Tate, tight end Evan Engram and running back Saquon Barkley to carry the load as the team’s primary pass catchers.

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Chris Cwik is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik

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