There is a new excitement surrounding the New York Giants this season as the first year of the John Harbaugh era kicks off. Malik Nabers is a major reason for this as the LSU product looks to rebound from his injury-plagued last season and find the form he flashed as a rookie.
Nabers is currently being drafted with an average draft position of roughly 35 and WR13, with some slight differences depending on league format and scoring. But with his rookie season, in which his 18.8 fantasy points per game ranked seventh among all wide receivers and 28th among all position players, is this too low?
Is Malik Nabers worth a top-15 fantasy pick?
The New York Giants selected Malik Nabers with the sixth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. He burst onto the scene as a rookie, recording 109 receptions on 170 targets for 1,204 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. He finished with 286.6 total fantasy points across his 15 games played, averaging 18.8 per contest on DraftKings scoring.
Nabers was limited to just four games last season after suffering a torn ACL in the Giants’ Week 4 matchup. He recorded 35 targets and 18 receptions, converting this into 271 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns. While the limited games played is a clear asterisk, Nabers still produced 15.0 fantasy points per game based on DraftKings scoring. This ranked 13th among wide receivers and 58th among all position players.
The outlook for the entire Giants’ organization is different since the last time Nabers took the field. Harbaugh traditionally relies on more of a run-based offense, although he has proven capable of adapting based on the strengths and weaknesses of his roster. New York leans on a running back room headlined by Cam Skattebo, Najee Harris, Devin Singletary, and Tyrone Tracy. Especially as this new-look offense takes form and the inexperience of Jaxson Dart, expect the Giants to be committed to establishing the run.
It is also worth noting that Nabers suffered his injury last year during Dart’s first game as a starter. New York is optimistic that they have found their franchise quarterback of the future, but Dart has to grow a bit in his ability to avoid hits and remain on the field. Nabers primarily had his success with Daniel Jones and Drew Lock under center, so one would hope Dart will be an upgrade, but this still has to be proven on the field. He also led the NFL with a 34.9% target share across this stretch, and New York will likely look for a more balanced attack this season. Nabers will be joined by former Giants star Odell Beckham Jr., Darius Slayton, and Darnell Mooney as the primary other receiver options.
There are also more lingering questions than expected about Nabers’ injury outlook than one would hope is the case. While he is not expected to miss any time, he underwent an unexpected second cleanup surgery on the same knee in the spring. The LSU product has looked sharper as the preseason as it has continued, and the Giants have brushed away any concerns for this outlook.
While the top 15 still feels ambitious for Nabers as a draft target, he does feel undervalued. Even if he struggles a bit out of the gate as the team leans into the rushing attack and his health reaches its peak, expect the Giants’ star to re-announce his presence as one of the most elite wide receivers in football. There may be some early-season struggles, but count on Nabers having the potential to swing fantasy weeks when he and this Giants offense hit their stride. Have him circled as a top target in the early parts of the second round, finish as a clear top 10 wide receiver, and expect him to be firmly in the first round conversation this time next year.
