Only two practices into his NFL career, New York Giants rookie receiver Malachi Fields is already drawing comparisons to teammate Darius Slayton.
Given the context, that’s not exactly a good thing.
ESPN’s Jordan Raanan shared various takeaways from the Giants’ two-day minicamp, noting that Fields dropped multiple passes last Saturday. Raanan pointed out that Slayton, a fifth-round pick in 2019, had a similar experience at the time.
“Turns out, dropping passes has been a problem for Slayton throughout his career,” Raanan wrote.
Slayton has been credited with at least five drops in four of his seven NFL seasons. His 7.9% drop rate last year marked his highest since 2022.
For what it’s worth, head coach John Harbaugh praised Fields for how he fared on slant routes. Harbaugh also claimed the rookie caught every pass thrown his way last Friday.
Should the Giants be concerned about rookie receiver Malachi Fields?
Raanan pointed out that Fields had a 1.6% drop rate last year and had 10 contested catches. In other words, Fields repeatedly proved that he can secure the ball and avoid making easy mistakes.
If the Giants didn’t believe in Fields, then they wouldn’t have traded up for him during last month’s draft. Perhaps the Giants would have instead waited to take a receiver on Day 3, as they did with Auburn defensive tackle Bobby Jamison-Travis.
The 6-foot-4, 218-pound Fields averaged 17.5 yards per catch for the Fighting Irish, and he brings much-needed size to a retooled Giants offense.
It will be interesting to see whether Slayton will start over Fields, especially if Malik Nabers is ready for Week 1. Slayton had 37 catches for 538 yards and a touchdown in 14 games last season, his worst numbers since 2021.
Barring further injuries, though, it feels unlikely that Slayton and Fields will both start. The Giants signed Darnell Mooney to a one-year deal in March; Mooney is only two seasons removed from a 64-catch, 992-yard campaign for the Falcons.
Additionally, tight end Isaiah Likely is widely considered a breakout candidate. Likely is among the many former Ravens who followed Harbaugh over from Baltimore.
So, no, there is no reason for the Giants to be concerned about Fields. He hasn’t even hit the field with Jaxson Dart throwing his way yet.
If we reach mid-August and Fields is still struggling to finish his catches, then it might be time to sound the alarm. The only person who should root for such a scenario, though, is Odell Beckham Jr.
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