New York Giants star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. returned to practice on Friday. He had missed the past three days with a lower leg injury.

Beckham had soreness and swelling in his left leg, but did light jogging at practice on Tuesday and Wednesday with new strength and conditioning coach Aaron Wellman. He ran sprints Thursday.

Coach Ben McAdoo said Wednesday that Beckham was close to a return and was "absolutely" making progress.

Beckham was injured when he became entangled with cornerback Janoris Jenkins during Sunday's practice. He limped off the field and the Giants said afterwards he had been cleated and had lacerations on his left leg.

Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. returned practice on Tuesday two days after leaving a practice session early with a minor injury. Beckham was cleated in the left ankle/lower leg by cornerback Janoris Jenkins as the players jumped for a deep pass in Sunday's practice.

The Giants got a scare when Beckham remained on the turf for a few minutes and was attended to by trainers. After briefly rejoining his teammates, Beckham left practice and was carted from the field house to the team's facility.

Beckham suffered some cuts but was otherwise OK. We had a return earlier today he may miss more time but turns out he returned today.

Odell Beckham Jr.'s injured left leg was extremely sore Monday and he's likely to miss practice time this week, according to a source.

The Giants have their first full pads workout of the summer scheduled for Tuesday.

Beckham hurt his leg during Sunday's practice when he became entangled with cornerback Janoris Jenkins on a deep pass down the sideline. He limped off the field, and eventually left practice.

The Giants said he was 'cleated' and has cuts on his leg. HC Ben McAdoo expected Beckham to be sore. Overall the team called it a 'minor setback' so it shouldn't keep him out too long.

Odell Beckham Jr. left the practice field early Sunday after suffering "a cut or two" to his leg after after colliding with teammate Janoris Jenkins while attempting to make a catch, Giants coach Ben McAdoo said.

"He's probably going to be sore for a couple days," McAdoo told reporters after practice.

OBJ got cleated, according to McAdoo. The star receiver landed awkwardly after going up for a deep ball. He required attention from trainers for a few minutes after. Beckham stayed on the field for a while, walking gingerly on his left leg, and he was spotted on the sideline grabbing his ankle area. Despite trying to jog it off, the Giants' superstar eventually rode a cart back into the team's facility before the practice's conclusion.

Giants WR Sterling Shepard has been lining up opposite Odell Beckham Jr. in two-receiver sets in the first two training camp practices. When the Giants use three receivers, Shepard has played outside and in the slot.

The bottom line is that the second round pick out of Oklahoma has been on the field a lot. The same was true during minicamp in the spring. So Ben McAdoo's comment about playing young players didn't come as a surprise.

The 5-foot-10, 194-pound Shepard has the prototypical frame and quickness of a slot receiver, but he's comfortable moving around the formation. McAdoo said he trusts Shepard and the team isn't going to be afraid to play younger players. It's not always easy for rookie WRs to make an impact, and some following the team felt Shepard's final stats may not impress this year, however that could change if Shepard keeps getting opportunities.

There has been a palpable buzz around Giants WR Sterling Shepard ever since the Giants selected him in the second round of this year's NFL Draft.

All indications are he has the ability to be a perfect running partner to Odell Beckham Jr. and give the Giants a second star in their receiving corps. But it's tough for rookie wideouts to step right in and put up big numbers.

Shepard should put together a solid rookie year, but his stats may not knock you out when all is said and done.

The potential return of Victor Cruz could impact what Shepard does this year as could Dwayne Harris who also seems in store for work. Cruz is expected to be a full-go when camp starts on Friday but the Giants will likely take it slow with Cruz which could mean lots of early opportunities for Shepard in camp.

The comparisons between Sterling Shepard and Odell Beckham aren’t just in the unrelated complements from evaluators. Giants’ defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo flat-out mistook Sterling Shepard for Odell Beckham Jr. :

"I'll tell you, I was looking at tape the other day and we had a receiver doing some things against us and I told the staff we have to do a better job there against Odell (Beckham, Jr.). And then I looked again and it was not Odell -€” it was actually Shepard."

It's a good sign for Shepard if his own defensive coordinator can't tell him apart from one of the best receivers in the league. It appears that Shepard is going to play starter's snaps regardless of the status of Victor Cruz. Rueben Randle was the #32 WR in PPR formats serving as the Giants' WR2 last year.

Star wideout Odell Beckham Jr. says he is excited to play with rookie Sterling Shepard for reasons he'd prefer not elaborate at this time.

"He's going to be a phenomenal player," Beckham said Tuesday after the Giants opened their three-day mandatory minicamp. "I just feel like I really know what he's capable of, and I'd rather let him just shock the world than spill his secrets."

"He can run routes, he can catch, he can pretty much do it all. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing him develop," Beckham said, adding that Shepard has adjusted well to the Giants' offense after a few understandable early rough patches while learning the system."

It appears that Shepard is going to play starter's snaps regardless of the status of Victor Cruz. Rueben Randle was the #32 WR in PPR formats serving as the Giants' WR2 last year. Shepard is small and quick and could play the Randall Cobb role in Ben McAdoo's offense.

There has been nothing but raves for Sterling Shepard, the second-round receiver out of Oklahoma, who has drawn comparisons to both a healthy Victor Cruz and to Odell Beckham. He has flashed terrific speed and great hands throughout the Giants' spring drills and appears to be a lock to land in the starting lineup.

The mini-camp drills will be more of the same — no contact, no game-planning — but it'll be more of an opportunity to watch him one-on-one against the Giants' best cornerbacks. So far he's been up to the challenge and the excitement over the 22-year-old sure has seemed justified.

Shepard's fantasy value will depend somewhat on the status of Victor Cruz, but it appears that the rookie may start even if Cruz is 100 percent.