Giants Country

How Did WR Malik Nabers Really Fare in Week 2 Showing?

The Giants' electric rookie wideout is already among the league's best through two weeks.

Andrew Parsaud

Sep 15, 2024; Landover, Maryland, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers (1) runs down the field pressured by Washington Commanders defensive back Juan Martin (20).
Sep 15, 2024; Landover, Maryland, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers (1) runs down the field pressured by Washington Commanders defensive back Juan Martin (20). / Luke Johnson-Imagn Images
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When the New York Giants drafted Malik Nabers at No. 6 overall in April, they hoped to provide the team with a dominant primary wide receiver, which it has lacked for multiple years.

It looks like they're receiving a return on their investment just two games into Nabers' rookie campaign. The 22-year-old wideout didn't have many opportunities to make plays in Week 1, as the offense failed to score a touchdown against the Vikings. However, he still had five catches for 66 yards, including a pair of 20+ yard catches.

Last week, Nabers put on a show against the Commanders. He caught ten passes for 127 yards and one touchdown, accounting for 71.3% of quarterback Daniel Jones' passing yards on the day. The rookie carried the Giants offense, who could barely function the week prior.

Following his stellar Week 2 performance, Nabers was given a 73.1 rating by PFF.

"To say Nabers was the Giants' primary weapon against Washington would be an understatement. He collected a whopping 17 targets, hauling in 10 of them for 127 receiving yards and a touchdown. His 60.7% threat percentage was the second-highest in a game in PFF history. Nabers' speed and skills are jaw-dropping at times, and he should continue to be the focal point of New York's offense."

If the trend continues, Nabers will continue to be a workhorse in the Giants' offense. His 25 targets in two weeks rank second in the NFL and are in the top 10 for many other receiving categories.

His Week 2 showing earned Nabers a second Rookie of the Week nomination. One aspect of his game that's flown under the radar has been his yards after the catch. Nabers has 109 YAC, which is third among all wide receivers. His five catches of over 20 yards already rank as the most in the league thus far, exactly what the Giants had hoped they'd get when drafting him. Seeing as Nabers had 34 of those catches last season at LSU, this shouldn't come as a surprise.

Despite his impressive output, he dealt with some adversity, dropping what would've been a first-down catch late in the fourth quarter. The Giants would've continued their drive if he had caught the ball, resulting in a turnover on downs. This was not the main reason the Giants lost in Washington, but Nabers is handling the drop well and vows to come back better.

He's had the support of veterans in the locker room, including his quarterback. Jones favors throwing to Nabers and is confident he'll make the play next time.

Nobody should be worried over that one drop. Nabers will bounce back from this tenfold and continue to light up opposing defenses for the rest of the season.

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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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