Malik Nabers leaving rookie seasons of Ja'Marr Chase, Puka Nacua in the dust

The NFL has seen a few incredible rookie performances in recent years, but New York Giants star Malik Nabers is pulling away from them all.

Sep 22, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers (1) makes a touchdown reception under coverage by Cleveland Browns cornerback Martin Emerson Jr. (23) during the second quarter at Huntington Bank Field. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images / Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

Don't look now, but New York Giants rookie sensation Malik Nabers leads the NFL in receiving. Okay, so maybe he has played one more game than most receivers at this point. But that's besides the point. The No. 6 overall pick of the 2025 NFL draft is on a historic pace.

Before exiting Thursday night's game against the Dallas Cowboys with a concussion, Nabers had a monster game for the Giants. He caught 12 passes for 115 yards, despite being the focal point of the Dallas passing defense for the entire night. And thankfully, he says he's "all good" after sustaining that concussion.

There were a few advanced stats to take away from Thursday night's outstanding performance. First off, Nabers caught nine passes after being motioned in the offense, per Next Gen Stats, which is a record during the Next-Gen era. That's the sign of excellent coaching.

For those of us who may not be football nerds enough to ooh and awe over that point, here's another that everyone can appreciate. Austin Gayle of PFF shared after the game that, through four games as a rookie, Nabers is well ahead of the curve, going all the way back to 2000.

Going back to 2000, Nabers ranks first among all contenders in three key advanced stats that show value for a receiver: He is first in target share (38 percent), which demonstrates how often Nabers is getting targeted in the passing game compared to his teammates. He is first in target rate (34 percent), which is “the ratio of total targets to total routes run.” He is also first in the NFL going back to 2000 in touches per offensive snap, sitting at a gaudy 17 percent.

Already with 35 catches on 51 targets for 386 yards with three touchdowns, Nabers is on pace to finish the 2024 NFL season with 149 receptions for 1640 yards and 13 touchdowns, should he play all 17 games.

These marks would absolutely smash Puka Nacua's NFL record-breaking season when he had 105 total receptions, 1,486 receiving yards (4th in the NFL), and six touchdowns. They would also top the astonishing rookie campaign of Ja'Marr Chase, who caught 81 passes for 1,455 yards and 13 touchdowns.

The kid is alright.