Hidden Stat About Giants Veteran QBs Will Change Malik Nabers

He was good enough to set an NFL record as an instantly dominant wide receiver for the New York Giants in 2024, but Malik Nabers should be even better this season, thanks to a hidden statistic boasted by his two most high-profile quarterbacks.

Both Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston posted numbers last season that will make target-hungry Nabers very happy. The underlying attribute shared by these veteran signal-callers was explained by Dan Duggan of The Athletic, who detailed how “Wilson fed Steelers No. 1 receiver George Pickens 7.4 targets per game last season, while Winston peppered Browns No. 1 receiver Jerry Jeudy with 9.9 targets per game in seven starts last season.”

Their output proves “it was wise for the Giants to sign deep passers Wilson and Winston as bridge quarterbacks, as they should have no problem feeding Nabers targets.”

That’s just what Nabers wants to hear after he “set an NFL rookie record with 170 targets last season despite missing two games. Nabers has made it clear he expects that type of attention going forward.”

Making a target-rich wideout richer is the best way for the Giants to transform a mediocre passing game into something special. It’s also a smart policy for keeping their most talented playmaker onside.

Malik Nabers Still Has Room to Improve

Nabers wants the ball, and the Giants have wisely made obliging his demands their priority. It’s why former No. 1 pick Winston and 10-time Pro Bowler Wilson were acquired during free agency.

The Giants need a better quality of passer to bring out the best in Nabers. That’s a scary thought for the rest of the NFL, based on how Nabers overwhelmed defenses last season with plays like these.

The 21-year-old collected records as easily as he stockpiled catches, according to Giants.com Managing Editor Matt Citak. Those accolades included “a new franchise record with 109 receptions, beating Steve Smith’s previous record of 107 catches set in 2009, which he took for 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns. Not only did Nabers set a new Giants record for receptions in a season, but he also topped Puka Nacua’s previous rookie wide receiver reception record of 105 set in 2023.”

Perhaps the record that tells the most about Nabers’ skills involves his finishing “with five or more receptions in 14 of the 15 games he played in, which is the most outings with five or more catches by a rookie in NFL history. The previous high was 12 such games, a mark shared by Terry Glenn and Anquan Boldin.”

This run showed Nabers went from strength to strength, despite the Giants winning a mere three games during a trying season. A campaign undermined by a carousel of calamitous quarterbacks and Nabers being the main man defenses had to stop each week.

None of those things prevented Nabers from getting open and receiving the lion’s share of the targets. The latter is something the Giants need to continue making happen.

Giants Must Keep Malik Nabers Happy

Keeping Nabers happy is a must because the player selected sixth overall in last year’s draft hasn’t been shy about taking his criticism of play-calling public. Fortunately, the Giants can ensure Nabers feels like their most important player without bringing back a famous former receiver, nor by increasing the second-year pro’s target share.

Catching passes from Wilson, still one of the most naturally gifted vertical throwers in football, means “Nabers is set to see far more efficient targets in his second season.” That’s according to Mike Fisher of Athlon Sports, who is convinced “Nabers doesn’t have to see as many targets as last season to produce as much as he did in Year 1.”

It’s possible, provided Nabers gets more deep targets. He’s a true field-stretcher set to catch passes from QBs who love to take the top off of defenses in one shot.

For now, it will be Wilson or Winston, before 2025 first-round pick Jaxson Dart and his strong arm seizes the reins. All of it is good news for the best skill player on the Giants’ roster.