The Giants failed to meet expectations this season and sit at a 3-13 record, but 2024 first-round pick Malik Nabers is breaking records and showing hope for the future.
After shattering Saquon Barkley’s and Odell Beckham’s Giants rookie reception record in Week 16, Malik Nabers followed up with a seven-catch, 171-yard, two-touchdown performance against the Colts on Sunday that propelled him into another historic rookie category: one of five rookies to have 100 receptions in a regular season. It’s safe to say that Malik Nabers is a lone bright spot in a lost season for the Giants.
Keep in mind, Nabers accomplished this while missing two games, recorded his 100th reception before Week 18, and all with inconsistent quarterbacking from four different signal callers. On the season, Nabers has 104 catches, 1,140 yards, and six touchdowns. In a season that felt lost since Halloween, the rookie out of LSU is a bright spot that gives fans hope that the offense can be dynamic in 2025 and beyond.
A Lost Season
There isn’t much more to be said about the Giants 2024 season. The team barely scraped by a Joe Flacco-led Colts team and just snapped a 10-game losing streak that people can argue did more harm than good for the team’s objective future. However, Nabers’s ability to step into a chaotic situation, play through injury, and still produce at a high level should make Giants fans excited for his future.
This Giants team is lacking quality players down the roster, let alone Pro Bowl-caliber ones. As the team improves in the future, Nabers’s production should follow suit especially if the team can find quality quarterback play.
Malik Nabers: A Bright Spot and A Star
There was little doubt about Nabers as a prospect during the draft process. He showed dynamic play-making ability both down the field and with YAC during his LSU career. In 2023, he finished with 89 receptions, 1,569 yards, and 14 touchdowns. 589 of his 1,569 yards came after the catch, which was good for 6.6 YAC per reception and sixth in the nation in that category. Nabers was the apple of any team’s eye looking for an explosive receiver that could win at any level of field.
However, he wasn’t the Giants’ clear-cut pick in the first round. Many fans and analysts debated whether or not Michigan quarterback JJ McCarthy would be a better long-term draft with uncertainty at quarterback. Rumors circulated around Twitter, ESPN, and NFL Network that the team had done extensive work on the national champion. As it turned out, they did not deem him, Bo Nix, or Michael Penix worthy of the sixth overall pick. It might still be too early to decide if that was the right decision – even with Nix vying for Offensive Rookie of the Year – but there is no denying the Giants have a cornerstone talent.
After passing on quarterbacks, the narrative around Nabers was questioning if he could produce with mediocre quarterback play. There was no doubting his talent and toughness on the field, but he was coming from an LSU team that was led by Heisman quarterback Jayden Daniels.
Nabers 2024 Season Brings Hope
Nabers silenced that narrative quickly in Week 2 against the Commanders with a dominating 10-catch, 127-yard, one-touchdown performance.
While it came in a loss, it proved quickly that he was ready to be the focal point of an NFL offense.
Follow Malik Nabers step for step during his best plays vs the Commanders pic.twitter.com/s0j0COfOup
— Justin Penik (@JustinPenik) September 17, 2024
Since then, he’s dominated the Giants target share and fans should be prepared for him to improve more in the future. As of Week 18, Nabers has a PFF grade of 87.4, which is seventh in the NFL. The last time the Giants had a receiver with a top-ten PFF grade was Odell Beckham, Jr. in 2018.
The one part of his game from LSU that was missing this season? His YAC ability. That changed on Sunday with a 171-yard performance-105 YAC.
Malik Nabers is going crazzzzyyyyyy.pic.twitter.com/xLvQvCdWXW
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) December 29, 2024
Malik Nabers is DYNAMIC. This elite ability to make plays with the ball in his hands is what made him so special at LSU.
This play ends the Giants' six-year drought without a 1,000-yard receiver. Nabers is the first to do it since OBJ in 2018.
He's a special one. pic.twitter.com/0LQPWyY7xC
— Anthony Rivardo (@Anthony_Rivardo) December 29, 2024
Nabers’ precise route running and ability to make defenders miss in the open field was officially on display against the Colts. While he’s been dominant all season, it never really felt like he was taking over games in the same way Odell Beckham did for the Giants in 2014-2016. Sunday felt like a precursor for the future for the future star.
By the end of the game, Nabers even demonstrated his ability to climb the ladder and win contested catches.
LOOK at Malik Nabers
What a catch from a great talent who, up until today, was not on a team who knew how to light up
— The Irish NFL Show (@IreNFL) December 29, 2024
As well as adjusting to back-shoulder throws in tight coverage.
There was a time on this app where people called me a click baiter for making Malik Nabers my WR1 😂
— SCOUTD (@scoutdnfl) December 29, 2024
Final Thoughts on Nabers
Malik Nabers has been a rare bright spot in a challenging season for the Giants. He’s showcasing elite playmaking ability and a knack for rising to the occasion. His explosive performances and steady production provide a glimmer of hope for a brighter future. For Giants fans, Nabers represents more than just a talented rookie—he’s a symbol of resilience and potential in a season overshadowed by adversity. With his continued growth, he could be the catalyst for a much-needed resurgence in Big Blue’s fortunes.
Main Image: Julian Leshay Guadalupe/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
