The New York Giants found a potential top-five wide receiver in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Malik Nabers caught 109 passes (165 targets) for 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns in his rookie Pro Bowl season. Nabers quickly earned respect and became a dynamic weapon for the Giants in their 3-14 season.
The Giants re-signed veteran receiver Darius Slayton to a three-year, $36 million contract with $22 million guaranteed during free agency. Slayton was coming off a 39-catch (70 target) season with 573 yards and two touchdowns. Still, the Giants retained him, and his 2025 season was, unfortunately, even more disappointing than his lackluster 2024 season.
The depth at wide receiver was lacking after the 2024 season, so resigning Slayton wasn’t a complete curveball. The Giants entered the season with Nabers, Slayton, and Wan’Dale Robinson as their top three receivers.
Beaux Collins competed for snaps with the first team throughout training camp. Lil’Jordan Humphrey developed an early rapport with Jaxson Dart through camp, and Gunner Olszewski was signed during training camp and worked into the offense down the stretch of the season. Oh yeah, Jalin Hyatt was also on the roster.
2025 season in review
Wan’Dale Robinson, Darius Slayton, Malik Nabers, Gunner Olszewski, Jalin Hyatt, Isaiah Hodgins, Lil’Jordan Humphrey, Beaux Collins, Ray-Ray McCloud III, Dalen Cambre
Nabers tore his right ACL and partially tore his lateral meniscus in Week 4 against the Chargers. It was a devastating loss for the Giants’ offense. Nabers caught 18 of 30 passes for 271 yards with a pair of touchdowns. The injury to Nabers highlighted the lack of proven depth within the receiving corps, but Robinson stepped up in his contract season.
Robinson enjoyed a career year for the Giants, hauling in 92 receptions on 131 targets for 1,014 yards and four touchdowns. He emerged as the primary target for Dart for much of the season and posted three 100-yard receiving games. He had just one 100-yard game in his first three seasons.
Robinson posted career highs across the board, including yards per route run (1.87), average depth of target (9.0 yards), and yards after the catch (392). He also averaged 11.0 yards per reception — surpassing his previous high of 9.9 set during his rookie season. Additionally, Robinson aligned out wide on 31.1% of his snaps, a significant jump from his previous high of 21.1% in 2024.
Slayton struggled in 2025. Pro Football Focus credited him with six drops, though there were several additional catchable passes that a professional wide receiver would be expected to secure, especially in high-leverage situations. It appeared his confidence was shot down the stretch of the season; he was allowing the football to hit his chest, and the struggles did not seem to be just physical.
Slayton caught 37 of 60 passes for 538 yards with one touchdown. Despite the issues, Slayton had his highest yards per route run and aDot since the 2020 season. Still, the Giants need to get more from him.
Olszewski occupied his role as a special teams ace. He played 131 special teams snaps with 50 overall kick returns and 24 punt returns; he averaged 26.2 yards on the former and 9 yards on the latter. Olszewski, however, had his first 100-yard career game in Week 18 against Dallas. He caught eight of nine passes for 102 yards against Dallas, and secured 10 of 13 targets for 145 yards and a touchdown on the season. Here’s what Olszewski had to say about his 100-yard game:
Olszewski was also a creative offensive weapon for Mike Kafka. He threw a touchdown pass to Devin Singletary against the Detroit Lions, but he brutally missed Chris Manhertz for an easy touchdown against Dallas in Week 18.
The Giants have exhausted their options in trying to get Jalin Hyatt involved. Hyatt played 171 offensive snaps and had five catches for 35 yards in 14 targets. He’s not where he needs to be when running routes, he’s not physical, and he’s, frankly, unreliable as an overall receiving option. He’s occupied a roster spot because of his draft capital. Perhaps the new coaching staff will see something in his skillset, but he’s shaping up to be a colossal bust for the Giants.
Isaiah Hodgins’ Week 11 performance was a remarkable moment for the Giants. He caught five passes for 57 yards on six targets, but the stat line only tells part of the story. Hodgins was back in New York for little more than a cup of coffee before helping the Giants compete against a quality Green Bay Packers team.
Signed off the Pittsburgh Steelers’ practice squad on Thursday, Hodgins suited up just three days later and logged 57 offensive snaps for New York on Sunday, while also providing reliable contributions as a blocker, which he continued to provide throughout the season. Hodgins ended the season with just 10 catches on 17 targets for 115 yards with a touchdown. His rapport with Jameis Winston was more pronounced than it was with Jaxson Dart.
Humphrey is making a difference with the Denver Broncos, but he started his NFL season with the Giants. Humphrey Humphrey who caught a 34-yard pass from Dart to open the Giants’ 34-17 beatdown of the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 6. Humphrey caught four of eight passes for 55 yards before being claimed off the Giants’ practice squad in Week 10.
Grade: B-
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2026 outlook
There are two massive questions surrounding the Giants’ receiving corps heading into the 2026 season. First is the health of Nabers. Second is the decision regarding Robinson’s future with the organization. General manager Joe Schoen wouldn’t say anything definitive about Nabers’ timetable for return, but he did state that it looks like Nabers is trending toward being ready for the start of camp, while adding the caveat that things can change.
Robinson, though, is set to hit free agency, and he has a resume that could demand the dollars. Robinson is represented by The Sports and Entertainment Group. Their clients include Stefon Diggs, Christian Watson, and Josh Palmer. Diggs signed a three-year, $63.5-million contract with $16.6 million fully guaranteed with the New England Patriots last offseason, while recovering from a torn ACL at the age of 32.
Palmer, who was less accomplished than Robinson at the time, signed a three-year, $29 million contract with the Bills that included $18 million guaranteed. The two receivers now have comparable production, though Palmer has an extra year of experience. Robinson, meanwhile, is coming off the best season of his career, while Palmer signed his deal following one of the least productive seasons of his career.
Christian Watson received a one-year $11-million contract extension after he tore his ACL at the end of the 2024 season. The extension was signed in September of 2025 and kept him under contract through the 2026 season. The raise Watson received when he signed the contract was for $5.25 million, and he’s set to just earn $5.75 million in his final year (2026). There could possibly be a holdout over that number, but that does not regard Robinson.
The floor for Robinson’s contract is the deal Buffalo Bills receiver Khalil Shakir signed prior to the 2025 season. The Bills gave Shakir a four-year, $53.1-million contract with $30 million guaranteed, an average annual salary of $13.3 million. The ceiling for Robinson may be the deal Jakobi Meyers just signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars — a three-year, $60-million contract with $40-million guarnteed ($20 million AAV).
I see Robinson earning a bit less than Meyers in total AAV, and the Giants could be placed in a tough spot if a team strongly identifies with the 25-year-old’s skillset, especially after allocating significant money to Slayton last offseason (set to make 5.26% of the Giants’ cap).
It is not feasible for the Giants to cut Slayton in 2026. The dead cap is $15.75 million, which reduces to a still unpalatable $12.75 million as a post-June 1 cut.
Even if the Giants do retain Robinson — which I would prefer — New York should not be finished investing in the wide receiver position. The Giants possess theNo. 5 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and there are three possible receivers who could be available for the Giants: Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson, Ohio State’s Carnell Tate, or USC’S Makai Lemon.
The Giants could also opt to go wide receiver at No. 37 in the second round or Pick 105 in the fourth round. A young investment in the position would be wise, given the Giants’ current personnel, Malik Nabers’ injury, and the offensive youth movement, among other reasons. If the Giants do go wide receiver in Round 1, an 11 personnel package with that wide receiver, a healthy Nabers, and a resigned Robinson, with Slayton as a fourth option, would be an excellent arsenal for Dart and the new offensive coordinator.
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