Giants Country

Giants Receivers Have Done Well in These Two Statistical Areas

But there are still areas the group can clean up as a collective unit.

Patricia Traina

New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers (9) and wide receiver Darius Slayton (86).
New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers (9) and wide receiver Darius Slayton (86). / Lucas Boland-Imagn Images
In this story:

There hasn’t been much to smile about regarding the 2024 New York Giants, particularly their offense, which has seen four different quarterbacks under center this year. 

But if you’re looking for bright spots from the league’s 28th-ranked passing offense, the wide receivers have done particularly well when it comes to making contested catches.

Per Pro Football Focus, the Giants receivers–Malik Nabers, Wan’Dale Robinson, Darius Slayton, and Jalin Hyatt–have a combined 52.3% contested catch rate. And of those four, all but one (Nabers) has at least a 55.6% catch percentage.

(Note: Isaiah Hodgins, who has been a standard practice squad elevation during this season, is the only one of the Giants receivers who has not recorded a contested catch in his limited playing time.)

League-wide, based on a minimum of 50 targets (which Nabers, Robinson, and Slayton all have), Slayton ranks ninth, Robinson 25th, and Nabers 53rd out of 74 receivers.

Another area where the Giants receivers have been fairly solid is in missed tackles forced. 

Nabers and Robinson are tied for the lead among the Giants receivers with 14 each, which ranks them ninth in the league among wideouts. Ja’Marr Chase of the Bengals currently leads the league with 23 forced missed tackles, followed by Garrett Wilson of the Jets with 22 and CeeDee Lamb of the Cowboys with 20.

That said, there is still much room for improvement among the Giants receiver corps.

They have combined for 20 drops (out of 32 total, tied for third-most in the league). Slayton and Nabers are tied with seven drops each to lead the Giants receiver group in that category. 

The receivers have also recorded 14 of the team’s 99 penalties this season. Nabers leads the group with six penalties, which ties him for second (with offensive lineman Evan Neal) on the team for most penalties this season. Five of Nabers’ six penalties are for illegal shifts.

This offseason, the Giants will likely lose Slayton, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent and should earn a decent payday. 

Slayton’s projected departure will open up a spot for another receiver to step in, be it someone not yet on the roster or Hyatt, who this year has been soemthing of an afterthought this season. 

But overall, the core group is promising, and with more consistent quarterback play, it should be far more productive in years to come.

More Giants Coverage

New York Giants On SI Social Media

Published |Modified
Patricia Traina
PATRICIA TRAINA

Patricia Traina has covered the New York Giants for 30+ seasons, and her work has appeared in multiple media outlets, including The Athletic, Forbes, Bleacher Report, and the Sports Illustrated media group. As a credentialed New York Giants press corps member, Patricia has also covered five Super Bowls (three featuring the Giants), the annual NFL draft, and the NFL Scouting Combine. She is the author of The Big 50: The Men and Moments that Made the New York Giants. In addition to her work with New York Giants On SI, Patricia hosts the Locked On Giants podcast. Patricia is also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and the Football Writers Association of America.

Home/Big Blue+