When the New York Giants signed Odell Beckham Jr. this offseason, they made one thing clear: His spot on the roster was not guaranteed. The Giants legend accepted the challenge and ultimately overcame it, earning a place in the final 53.
Still, he was expected to be more of a veteran leader than a down-to-down contributor. Buried behind other receivers on the depth chart, Beckham Jr.'s role seemed to be limited. But now, he's the clear fourth receiver on the squad as the G-Men prepare for their Week 1 opener against the Dallas Cowboys.
Suddenly, the veteran is set to play meaningful snaps in the first game of the season. Giants fans will find out whether OBJ's spot on the roster is warranted quicker than they expected.
Odell Beckham Jr. is suddenly a key piece of Giants' plan vs. Cowboys
After Big Blue released Darius Slayton, only four receivers were left on the active roster. Even those four aren't all guaranteed to contribute.
Malik Nabers' status still seems to be up in the air. The star wideout has made progress in practice participation after recovering from the ACL injury that ended his 2025 season, but he is still hesitant to commit to playing in Week 1.
Nabers told reporters this week, "I've been wanting to play for so long now, but at the end of the day, I can't put my career at risk. I've got to take that into account."
If he's out, that leaves Darnell Mooney, Malachi Fields, and Beckham Jr. as the only receivers on the active roster. Even if Nabers is limited in his role, the other three wideouts should each earn a decent target share.
Braxton Berrios, who is currently on the practice squad, is still expected to be part of the Week 1 roster, but he'll primarily function as a punt returner.
Even if OBJ is the bottom receiver on the roster, he'll be needed against the Cowboys.
The 33-year-old is no stranger to big plays against New York's division rival. Of course, he made arguably the most memorable catch of the last 15 years against Dallas. The G-Men may not need him to make another historic play on Sunday night, but they'll need some solid snaps from him.
If Beckham Jr. even makes five catches at home against the Cowboys, it will be more than enough for fans in New York. We're just happy to see him suit up for the Giants again.
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