Fantasy Preview: Giants' Nabers Should Improve on 7 TD Season With Wilson at QB

By Todd Cordell

The New York Giants are heading for another long year. They have some great young building blocks on the roster, but the offense just isn’t good enough. Russell Wilson is on his last legs at the quarterback position and, Malik Nabers aside, there isn’t enough receiving talent to really prop him up.

The Giants are also tasked with playing one of the league’s most difficult schedules, which is not going to help matters. New York is moving in the right direction, but they need Jaxson Dart to develop — and another high pick — before they can really make noise.

Odds to Make Playoffs: +750

• Quarterback: Russell Wilson

  • Last Season: 11 games, 214-336, 63.7 cmp%, 2,482 yards, 11.59 avg, 225.63 yards/game, 16 TD, 5 Int

  • Wilson is projected to be New York’s starting quarterback in 2025; at least until he gives them reason to clear the way for Jaxson Dart. Wilson does carry some value by nature of having one of the best wide receivers in the league to throw to in Malik Nabers. Unfortunately, he’s not the dynamic player he once was and has lost some of his rushing ability, making him a pretty one dimensional fantasy asset. He is likely nothing more than a matchup dependent streamer.

• Running Back: Tyrone Tracy Jr. 

  • Last Season: 17 games, 192 carries, 839 yards, 4.4 average, 5 TD, 49.35 yards/game, 2 fumbles lost

  • Tracy Jr. is a tough player to gauge heading into his sophomore season. He showed flashes of real dynamic ability as a rookie. However, fumbling issues made it difficult for the coaching staff to trust him. The Giants also spent the 105th overall pick on running back Cam Skattebo, indicating they really like the player and plan to carve out a role for him immediately. Tracy remains the more dynamic option, and one of the best playmakers on the Giants, but a possible timeshare on what should be a below-average scoring offense caps his ceiling.

• Wide Receiver: Malik Nabers 

  • Last Season: 15 games, 109 receptions, 170 targets, 1,204 yards, 11.0 average, 7 TD, 80.26 yards/game, 462 yards after catch

  • Wilson has exceeded his best before date, but he still throws a solid deep ball. That should be music to the ears of Nabers, who is already one of the most dangerous big play threats in the NFL. He should continue to pile up the targets as the alpha of a wide receiver room lacking other playmakers. No matter the attention he draws each week, or the level of quarterback play, Nabers has already proven he can provide elite numbers any given Sunday. 

• Tight End: Theo Johnson

  • Last Season: 12 games, 29 receptions, 43 targets, 331 yards, 11.4 average, 1 TD, 35 long, 27.58 yards/game, 149 yards after catch

  • Theo Johnson flashed real upside as a rookie. He averaged more than 11 yards per catch and recorded nearly half of his yardage with the ball in his hands, showing the ability to get down field and make plays in space. The Giants didn’t really invest into the tight end room over the off-season, leaving a clear path for Johnson to establish himself as the No. 1 guy moving forward. If Wilson can help the Giants stay on schedule, and limit turnovers, Johnson could score a handful of touchdowns and pay off as a sleeper pick at the position.

• Defense

  • Last Season: 24.4 points allowed per game, 41.3% 3rd down, 76.9% 4th down, 5 interceptions, 45 sacks, 16 fumbles caused, 10 fumbles recovered, 0 touchdowns

  • The Giants should be a much better defensive unit this season. They have an excellent defensive line that can get after the quarterback in a hurry. If the secondary can do a better job of holding up and limiting big plays, they could be a potent defensive squad. What could potentially cap their ceiling is a subpar offense, which may result in extra possessions where they’re thrust into tough spots and give up points as a result.