Giants Country

Expectations Continue to Soar for Giants WR Malik Nabers

Nabers will be a dream addition for both the Giants and for fantasy football players.

Andrew Parsaud

Jul 26, 2024; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers (9) gestures to a referee during training camp at Quest Diagnostics Training Center.
Jul 26, 2024; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers (9) gestures to a referee during training camp at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. / Lucas Boland-USA TODAY Sports
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When New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers took the field for training camp practice on Sunday, he did it for the first time as a 21 year old.

The electric wide receiver had been making spectacular catches during the first week of camp, proving that the hype surrounding him is real. It might have been underestimated just how much Nabers is going to make an impact on the offense this season, as he has been dominating in one-on-ones and winning his team battles, making it look ridiculously easy at that.

The next step is for him to take an NFL snap, which will come on August 8 in the Giants' first preseason game at home against the Lions. One that happens, the Giants expect to unleash NAbers on NFL defenses, daring them to figure out how to stop him.

So good has Nabers looked in the spring and thus far in the summer that ESPN's Jeremy Fowler believes Nabers can crack 100 targets as a rookie, making him an attractive fantasy football option.

"It doesn't take long to see and hear the difference from a sedan to a Porsche when the cars pass,” Fowler wrote. “Nabers is not a sedan. 'I mean, you saw him out there,' a team source said when asked about Nabers' instant impact. 'We're very happy with him.' There's no doubt he will surpass 100 targets if healthy. 

“And it wouldn't surprise to see the Giants utilize the quick passing game and play-action quite often, given the issues protecting [Daniel] Jones. That would provide Nabers with after-the-catch opportunities."

One of the main issues lingering over the Giants offense is at the quarterback position. Jones is coming off of a torn ACL suffered in November but has been fully cleared to participate in training camp. 

He's always had a solid deep ball, but has had trouble connecting with receivers consistently down the field so far this summer. Fowler believes that could be a possible hindrance to Nabers' rookie season.

"The question is whether Jones, who has an underrated deep ball, can connect with Nabers downfield. Jones twice called Nabers 'super talented' in my talk with him. 'I'm excited about him,"' Jones said. 'We've got a lot of work to do together to build chemistry and get on the same page, but he's super talented.'"

Reaching 100 targets is something a Giants rookie receiver hasn't done since Odell Beckham Jr. In fact, Beckham eclipsed that mark in four out of five years with the team, including in 2014 when he caught 91 balls on 130 targets for 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns in just 12 games. 

The closest a Giants receiver has come to reaching 100 targets in a season since Beckham's departure was Darius Slayton, who saw 96 passes thrown his way in 2020. If Nabers is able to reach the milestone, it'll almost certainly mean he'd eclipse 1,000 receiving yards as well. It seems that he's making highlight-type plays every practice now.

If he can continue to make the catches like he does in practice, the sky's the limit for Nabers.

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Andrew Parsaud

ANDREW PARSAUD

Andrew Parsaud is currently attending Penn State, where he is studying digital journalism and media. He is an avid follower of the major New York sports teams. 

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