The New York Giants will look to make it back-to-back wins as they take on the Dallas Cowboys in MetLife on Thursday Night Football. For that to happen, the Giants’ passing game is going to have to be good, and that will be music to the ears of the fantasy football managers of Malik Nabers and Wan’Dale Robinson.
Nabers has been impressive in his rookie season, with 37 targets through the first three weeks. But can he continue delivering for fantasy managers tonight?
Meanwhile, Robinson is off to a mixed start through the first three weeks, so should fantasy managers be brave or steer well clear?
Malik Nabers Fantasy Outlook
If he continues to improve at this rate, he might be the greatest receiver in the league — by December.
OK, that might be a bit strong, but there isn’t a box the rookie has yet to check.
Nabers is making plays at all three levels, turning incompletions into touchdowns, and being handed the ball on an early end-around — all things earning him the confidence of this coaching staff to continue to push the envelope.
Nabers’ usage, Weeks 2-3
- 45% of NYG receptions
- 49.5% of NYG receiving yards
- 50% of NYG targets
Malik Nabers was targeted 12 times on 34 routes for 8 receptions, 78 yards and 2 touchdowns, accounting for 56.9% of the Giants team air yards.
Nabers is the only receiver in the NFL to account for over half of his team's air yards (57.6%) this season.
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— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) September 22, 2024
If I have to nitpick for this specific matchup, it’s that New York moved Nabers to the slot much more last week and that Dallas is the third-best yards-per-attempt defense when defending the slot.
If the G-Men push him back to the perimeter for 80% of his routes this week, another big game could be in store. Even if you don’t have confidence that New York’s coaching staff will adjust, there’s no way you can justify sitting the role that Nabers has assumed.
Wan’Dale Robinson Fantasy Outlook
I wasn’t sure this offense could sustain one pass catcher on a weekly basis, and I was right. They have two!
Robinson, albeit in a far less visually appealing manner than Nabers, has been lineup-worthy in a WR3/Flex sort of way in all three weeks. If you extend his current pace for an entire season, we are talking about roughly 85 catches and six touchdowns. Laugh all you want, but that is 2023 Chris Olave/DeVonta Smith but with less yardage.
Follow Wan'Dale Robinson step for step on his four catches of 10+ yards against the Browns. He's been good with YAC and leads the NFL in targets between 0-9 yards pic.twitter.com/viUvxlu31a
— Justin Penik (@JustinPenik) September 23, 2024
Robinson’s range of outcomes is very narrow. That may not be an exciting profile, but I promise you that there will be a point over the next two months when you’re begging for a reliable PPR stat line.
For the first time this season, Robinson has cracked my top 40 at the position. He needs to be rostered across the board with bye weeks approaching.
All stats are from TruMedia unless otherwise stated.