Wan’Dale Robinson helping Giants fill Sterling Shepard void: ‘Brings that fire’

Once upon a time, the Giants locker room used the nicknames “Old Shep” and “Young Shep” to distinguish Russell Shepard from fellow receiver Sterling Shepard.

Now, in the first year after franchise stalwart Sterling Shepard’s departure, Wan’Dale Robinson could be called “New Shep” — or “Little Shep” — as a compliment.

Like his former two-year teammate, Robinson is quick.

He operates mostly out of the slot.

He is undersized physically, with an oversized bark.

“He brings that fire to the receiver room that we need since Shep left,” receiver Jalin Hyatt said.

For all the rightful attention paid to rookie Malik Nabers’ acrobatic catches, Robinson caught the most passes from quarterback Daniel Jones during training camp.

The majority were of the 5-yard variety, as Robinson broke open — with head coach Brian Daboll’s schematic assistance — and was asked to gain yards after the catch.

“Especially this year, feeling healthy and like I can do everything I want to with the ball in my hand, sometimes the best play is to get it in the playmaker’s hands and let them do what they do,” Robinson told The Post. “Dabes does a great job of finding ways to create space for me.”

Robinson also was among the training camp leaders in trash talk.

In a 1-on-1 drill during one practice, after cornerback Nick McCloud forced an incompletion with physical coverage on one rep, Robinson cut the line to get another turn against McCloud and let everyone know about it after he caught a touchdown.

“I’ve always had it,” Robinson said of the chip on his shoulder. “It came out of me a little more last year, especially towards the end when I started saying a little bit more. Dabes says all the time, ‘Execution fuels emotion.’ So the more plays I’m making, the more juiced up I get.”

Darius Slayton has led the Giants in receiving yards in four of the last five years playing with Robinson and Shepard, both of whom work the middle of the field without fear.

Shepard is now on the Buccaneers practice squad.

“Shep was a bit on the extreme end of that [trash talk] spectrum and Wan’Dale is not Shep level, but I think it’s him growing into his confidence,” laughed the 6-foot-1 Slayton. “Wan’Dale is as brave as they come. I tell him, ‘You are giving me courage’ when I think I’m not the biggest guy. He plays with that same level of bravery as Shep.”

Daboll affectionately refers to the 5-8 Robinson as “Little Man” — a nickname that originated for Isaiah McKenzie when Daboll and McKenzie were with the Bills.

McKenzie joined the Giants in the offseason but is on season-ending injured reserve, so there won’t be any confusion.

“I think those might be the only two I’m taller than,” Daboll quipped.

The Giants have big expectations for Robinson, a 2022 second-round pick of general manager Joe Schoen whose rookie season was cut short by a torn ACL.

He had 24 catches for 260 yards and a touchdown — accounting for about one-third of his career production — over the last five games of last season, as he passed the one-year anniversary of his knee surgery.

“He’s an extremely dynamic and explosive guy, super twitchy,” Jones said. “Hard to guard, just [because of] how quickly he can start and stop in and out of cuts. He’s a separator in his routes, and then when he gets the ball in his hands, he’s a tough guy to tackle.”

That description sounds a lot like Shepard in his prime — averaging 62 catches for 703 yards and four touchdowns per season from 2016-20 — before multiple lower-body injuries robbed some of his athleticism.

“Seeing Shep out there, he was a real gritty dude,” Robinson said. “I picked up a little bit of stuff from him, especially going through rehab with him every day [in 2022] or out at practice with him every day. I was definitely starting to become a Little Shep.

“I feel like they drafted me to be that guy on third-and-6, so I’ve always wanted to be the reliable guy for Daniel. That’s my job.”

With Saquon Barkley off to the Eagles, the Giants could use short passes to Robinson as an extension of the running game.

“A lot of times, Dabes lets me get open the way I want to, which is a really big help,” Robinson said. “He’s never like, ‘I want you to run a certain route a certain way.’ From the day I got here as a rookie, it’s always been, ‘Run them how you need, get open how you want as long as you are on the same timing with Daniel.’ ”