The Giants are acquiring J.J. McCarthy from the Vikings for a 2027 fifth-round pick after losing Jaxson Dart for the remainder of the regular season. Jameis Winston threw for only 118 yards in Sunday’s wet, windy win over Tennessee, yet John Harbaugh backed him afterward as New York’s starter—even with another quarterback potentially arriving.
I’m not ready to say the trade means a starting-quarterback change, but I do very much believe in organizational signaling. McCarthy still needs to earn the assignment, and fantasy managers shouldn’t mistake him as a new option and some sort of marked upgrade over the box scores we saw yesterday.
Here’s how I’ll see it shaking out. Follow my handle @dansby_edits for more fantasy football content.
J.J. McCarthy traded to Giants: Fantasy outlook
Malik Nabers
Nabers nabbed five passes for a miserable 26 yards Sunday, but Winston targeted him on six of his 20 routes—a healthy 30.0% TPRR. New York’s passing game could barely function, even when it schemed towards its best receiver. Nabers needs better throws and more productive possessions, and the Giants might not have that in a game with ideal weather conditions right now.
And so: Nine (but not on the Giants!). McCarthy offers a reason to imagine more explosive afternoons. In 2025, he posted a 9.5 aDOT and a terrific 7.3% big-time throw rate, second among 33 qualifying QBs. He also ranked 30th in adjusted completion rate (71.0%) and 32nd in turnover-worthy play rate (4.8%). I like the willingness to attack downfield; I’m considerably less enamored with how often he whiffed on those opportunities.
Should McCarthy take over, Nabers would remain a WR2 with weekly WR1 upside, but that’s no different than now, really. I’d hold him rather than sell low, but McCarthy doesn’t feel like the answer to what’s likely to make Nabers’ season relatively quiet.
Cam Skattebo
Honestly, Skatt already received the upgrade I care about most. With Devin Singletary inactive Sunday, he handled every late-down and two-minute snap after playing only 31.6% of third-down snaps across the first two weeks. He finished with 20 carries and three catches for 100 scrimmage yards, including 40 through the air.
Provided New York sustains that rotation, Skattebo can collect catches even when opponents force the Giants to abandon the run. I bet he’ll see more of those passing-down opportunities as opposed to extra handoffs simply because a young quarterback arrives. Skattebo stays in my lineup as an RB2 with RB1 upside if that receiving role sticks.
McCarthy rushed for four touchdowns last season, so a future switch from Winston wouldn’t automatically funnel more goal-line work toward Skattebo. Nor should we assume a scrambling quarterback will consistently choose checkdowns over running himself. McCarthy can scamper.
Isaiah Likely
Likely is my favorite buy-low of the three, largely because his usage improved while his fantasy score collapsed. He ran 24 routes on 26 team dropbacks Sunday (92.3%) after recording route participation rates of 67.6% and 85.3% in the first two weeks. He also drew five targets, second only to Nabers, despite finishing with two receptions for 13 yards.
McCarthy could still miss Likely when he separates, and he needs to develop timing with his new receivers. But Likely already runs enough routes in New York to benefit from even a modest recovery in offensive efficiency.
I’d trade for the expanded role at a discount, not for an assumed quarterback preference. McCarthy provides another chance for the Giants to sustain drives; Likely’s coaches clearly trust him to move the sticks.
A note, however: I do believe it’ll be Jameis starting at QB going forward, and I’d still trade for Likely all the same based on his increased snap count/alignment/route tree yesterday.
Bottom line
According to Jordan Schutz, this move is simply supplementary for the Giants, and J.J. McCarthy is expected to operate firmly as the QB2. That’s largely what we should have expected, here. McCarthy represents no on-paper nor locker-room upgrade over Winston as of now, and, for anyone who’s restless about the above three players after yesterday, I caution patience.
Jameis couldn’t be the rainy-game quarterback we all wanted him to be yesterday. Forget not: not so long ago, McCarthy couldn’t do it in a dome. With Justin Jefferson.
