Malik Nabers already expected to make his rookie year look average

There’s just no way to overstate what Malik Nabers meant to the New York Giants in 2024. After a miserable offensive showing the year prior, Nabers arrived and immediately gave the franchise something it hasn’t had in ages — a true cornerstone.

He was electric from the jump, breaking Odell Beckham Jr.’s franchise rookie record in receptions and coming up just short in yards, and shattering the team’s single-season reception record with 109 catches in just 15 gamesHe ended up being so much more than what the team was hoping for. Nabers became the face of the offense in a year where almost nothing else felt stable. The quarterback play was erratic, the offensive line struggled through injuries, and the team couldn't score to save its life — yet Nabers still found a way to deliver week after week. He's largely the reason this team was remotely watchable.

That’s what makes the latest Fact or Fiction segment from Giants.com worth paying attention to. When asked whether Nabers will break his own franchise record of 109 receptions this season, both John Schmeelk and Matt Citak said “fact” without much hesitation.

Giants insiders are already expecting another record-breaking year for Nabers

Schmeelk, while briefly skeptical at first, quickly talked himself out of doubting the sophomore star:

“I initially chose fiction here, but halfway through my answer, I wasn’t buying any of my reasoning for why he would finish with under 109 catches," he wrote. "Nabers missed two games last season, so if he plays in all 17 in 2025, the chance he surpasses 109 catches becomes far more likely,” Schmeelk said. “Brian Daboll liked to feed his playmakers the football, and I do expect a lot of quick game around the line of scrimmage that will inflate his raw catch numbers.”

Citak echoed the optimism, citing one of the biggest differences between this season and last: better quarterback play, specifically Russell Wilson:

“The Giants should be able to sustain longer drives with better QB play, which should give the young receiver more opportunities to catch passes,” he said. “If he can stay healthy, 110 receptions is an attainable goal for Nabers in Year 2.”

That’s peak Odell Beckham Jr. territory—the kind of dominance that rewrites expectations for what a young Giants receiver can be. And everything about the way the offense is being reshaped seems to support that prediction.

With Wilson bringing more stability to the offense and the scheme expected to favor quicker reads and ball control, Nabers is in a great position to see a heavy dose of targets once again—he had 170 as a rookie. Factor in a clearer outlook at quarterback and the chance to play all 17 games, and it’s easy to imagine him pushing past last year’s marks.

The only variable is his health. Nabers has been limited this offseason with a lingering toe issue, and while Brian Daboll continues to downplay it, he hasn’t taken live reps yet. There’s no panic, but it’s definitely something to monitor as training camp nears.

If the 22-year-old’s rookie season was any indication, Year 2 has the potential to be even better—the belief is already leaning that way. And that should terrify opponents.