As the New York Giants finalize their 53-man roster ahead of the 2025 season, one thing we are certain of is that wide receiver Malik Nabers will be the center of Big Blue's offense. After an impressive rookie campaign, the 22-year-old is in line for a massive second year in the league.
As a rookie, Nabers had 109 catches, shattering the franchise's single-season reception record previously held by Steve Smith, for 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns in 15 games played, earning Pro Bowl honors. He was also the only player in the league to account for over 30 percent of his team's total target share last season (30.8%).
Nabers is projected to have an even better second year in the league, making his rookie season look average. Not only are the former first-round pick's projected stats higher than last year, but he is predicted to surpass one of the NFL's best wide receivers and is already ranked ahead of him by ESPN.
ESPN ranked Malik Nabers over Amon-Ra St. Brown in their 2025 Top 100
ESPN recently released its Top 100 players for this season, and Nabers was ranked 40th, which is two spots ahead of Lions wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown, who has been one of the best receivers in the league over the last four years. Nabers is expected to have an even better season than he did last year, and the rankings support this prediction as well.
Jordan Raanan made Nabers' top-40 case by writing:
"He had little trouble getting open despite playing in an offense where opponents knew he was getting the ball... Nabers makes it all look so easy. There is a case to be made that he gets better in his second season, especially if the Giants have a more efficient and effective offense."
ESPN is predicting that Nabers will have 107 receptions for 1,422 yards and eight touchdowns this season, which is two fewer catches than last year, but 218 more yards and one more touchdown. He also missed two games last year due to injury, so these projections assume he plays every game. However, are we really surprised if Nabers has an even better season than his rookie campaign?
You have to imagine Nabers' numbers will be up this year with Russell Wilson throwing him moon balls compared to last season, where he was catching passes from Daniel Jones, Drew Lock, and Tommy DeVito. If all goes according to plan and Wilson meets expectations, Nabers could finish as a top-five wide receiver this year and pass St. Brown in every statistic.