The New York Giants’ wide receiver room was a massive topic of discussion in 2025. Following Malik Nabers’ torn ACL in Week 4, the lack of depth reared its ugly head. Under their new head coach, John Harbaugh, the team has taken plenty of steps to ensure that doesn’t happen again.
New York’s wide receiver room may appear crowded at the moment, but what role will these pass-catchers play in 2026?
Before his injury last season, Nabers was already on track for another impressive year. In less than four games, he recorded 18 receptions for 271 yards and two touchdowns. He averaged 15.1 yards per reception and 67.8 yards per game.
Nearly all of Nabers’ playing time was with Russell Wilson under center. Jaxson Dart took over, and less than halfway through his first game, the LSU wide receiver tore his ACL. In his 2024 rookie season, he logged 109 receptions for 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns.
Nabers, alongside Dart and Cam Skattebo, is one of the faces of the Giants’ franchise. His recovery may prevent him from a Week 1 return, but he’ll be back to WR1 status the minute he hits the field. His position on this team is not in question.
The Giants drafted Notre Dame’s wide receiver, Malachi Fields, 74th overall after trading back into the third round. They were impressed with his size and strength, and at 6’4”, 218 pounds, who wouldn’t be?
Notre Dame features a run-heavy offense, but Fields still showed plenty of talent there. He recorded 36 receptions for 630 yards and five touchdowns, while averaging 17.5 yards per catch. His stats at Virginia the two years prior are nothing to scoff at either.
Fields’ ability as a contested catch receiver makes him an attractive prospect. His release isn’t the quickest, but he can take the tops off defenders extremely well. He has real WR2 potential alongside Nabers, and Dart needs a proper deep-ball option.
Two of the Giants’ big free agency additions were former Atlanta Falcons receiver Darnell Mooney and former Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Calvin Austin. After Wan’Dale Robinson’s departure, finding a replacement in the slot was a priority for Harbaugh.
Austin was never a high-volume target in Pittsburgh, but his speed always made him a threat. He ran a 4.32-second 40-yard dash at the 2023 NFL Combine, and he has a quick release on the field. He may not have a massive season, but he can extend drives when Dart calls on him.
Mooney is an interesting pickup for New York. He started his career with the Chicago Bears, logging 1,055 yards and four touchdowns in his second season. He’s been with the Falcons since 2024, but hasn’t replicated that success.
Mooney is a talented player who hasn’t had consistent QB play in his career. His best season came with Andy Dalton and a then-rookie Justin Fields. In 2024, Kirk Cousins and Michael Penix Jr. were responsible for his 992 yards and career-high five touchdowns. Harbaugh and Dart might unlock something here, but if not, he could still be a strong WR3.
Darius Slayton, Isaiah Hodgins, and Jalin Hyatt are among the Giants’ receivers coming back after 2025. Slayton is a veteran in the locker room, entering his eighth season. He’s a good receiver but has dropped some costly passes over the last couple of seasons.
Slayton is entering the second year of a three-year, $36 million contract. He’s set to earn $12 million this year, with a cap hit of $15 million. He’s locked down in 2026 and hopefully can return to form before 2027.
Hodgins has become something of a fan-favorite in East Rutherford. He impressed in 2022 before being waived in 2024. He bounced around a couple of practice squads before returning to New York in 2025. His one-year contract seemingly shows that he’s not a long-term option for the Giants. At 27 years old, though, he can still prove himself.
There’s no nice way to say it, but Hyatt has been a bust in New York. In three seasons, he’s played in 41 games, starting 10 of them. In that span, he’s recorded 36 catches for 470 yards and zero touchdowns. He’s a speedy receiver and may find success elsewhere. It’s hard to imagine he’s on the 53-man roster once the season starts.
Braxton Berrios’ signing is likely a reaction to Gunner Olzewski tearing his Achilles. He’s been the Giants’ go-to return man, and now he’s out for the season. Berrios has served as a return man for several teams and will be best suited in that position.
JuJu Smith-Schuster has familiarity with Giants offensive coordinator Matt Nagy. He played under him with the Kansas City Chiefs for the last two seasons and is now reunited. He’s competing for a roster spot and may even earn it. If he does, Nagy will almost certainly have some plays to get him involved.
The biggest name of this group is undoubtedly Odell Beckham Jr. The Giants drafted him in 2014, and he was a massive star until his trade to the Cleveland Browns in 2019. Now, after vying for a reunion, he has the chance to end his career where it began. He played under Harbaugh in 2023 as a member of the Ravens. He appeared in 14 games, starting six, and recording 35 catches for 565 yards and three touchdowns.
At 33 years old, Beckham won’t be a huge part of the offense, but he’ll be a great mentor for Nabers. The two LSU alumni can work closely together in a “passing of the torch” type of way. Regardless of his role, OBJ brings reliable hands and excitement back to East Rutherford.
A crowded wide receiver room can be a good problem to have in the NFL. Injuries happen all the time, and depth is wildly important. 2025 saw the Giants struggle horribly after Nabers’ injury, and rectifying that was important. The question now: who makes the cut?
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