The New York Giants didn’t have much to root for last year, but they might in 2025. Malik Nabers is a star. He’s the kind of wide receiver who resets the expectations for an entire offense, one of the few players in the league who doesn’t need ideal conditions to make something out of nothing.
That should make everything easier going forward. It should anchor the rebuild. But the scary part isn’t what he’s already done or going to do... it’s what he might not ever get to do.
NFL.com’s Tom Blair put it best in his NFC list of players to root for in 2025:
“I tried to focus on what I’m rooting for when selecting players for this piece, but in making a case for Nabers, I’m flipping the formula. Because what I definitely do not want is for Nabers to become yet another talented receiver whose ultimate ceiling is shrouded by a forgettable quarterback and surrounding cast. Whatever the Giants decide to do between Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston and Jaxson Dart at quarterback, I just hope they’re able to find the quickest possible path to an uptick in high-leverage targets for Nabers.”
The clock is already ticking on getting Nabers the right situation
Plenty of rookies produce. Few of them make this kind of noise this quickly. Nabers didn’t just break the Giants’ receptions record—he broke the NFL rookie record for receivers. He caught 109 passes in just 15 games, led all rookies in yards after contact, and ranked seventh in the league in total yardage. All while working with a rotating cast of quarterbacks who rarely helped him out.
That’s not normal. That shouldn't even be possible without any help.
The G-Men brought in Russell Wilson to stabilize the offense, and drafted Jaxson Dart to give them a future. Both moves were necessary. But unless one of them clicks fast, this team risks falling into the same trap Blair warned about—letting a generational receiver carry a forgettable offense until it breaks him. That’s happened in New York before. That’s how careers get wasted. The last thing this organization needs is another Odell Beckham Jr.
There’s no question Nabers can put up numbers regardless of who’s throwing him the ball. The concern is how long that should be asked of him. The concern is how many more double-digit-catch, 100-plus-yard Sundays New York is willing to spend without ever seeing what that kind of performance looks like with playoff implications attached.
Nabers already gave this offense something to build around. Now it’s on Joe Schoen and Brian Daboll (for now) to make sure the quarterback they roll with doesn’t leave all that potential stalling. However it shakes out, you can’t help but root for Nabers to get the support he deserves.