Wide receivers the Giants could target with Malik Nabers out for the season

In what was ultimately a pyrrhic victory for the Giants over the Chargers, New York lost Malik Nabers for the year with a torn ACL, which was confirmed by an MRI on Monday.

The Giants have several depth options on their active roster, including Beaux Collins, Jalin Hyatt, and returner Gunnar Olzewski. However, Joe Schoen and the coaching staff may elect to call up receivers from their practice squad, someone else’s practice squad, or even make a free-agent signing or trade.

With this in mind, here are the top available receivers for the Giants to add, with Nabers officially out for the remainder of the season.

Practice squad elevation candidates

The Giants saw several players showcase their talent in the preseason, but were ultimately assigned to the practice squad. While Dante “Turbo” Miller may have been one of them, the running back room looks pretty solid with Skattebo, Tracy, and Singletary, as well as Eric Gray, who is currently on injured reserve.

At the wide receiver position, Lil’Jordan Humphrey caught Jaxson Dart’s first touchdown pass against the Bills in the preseason. Montrell Washington starred as well, showing off his shiftiness by making defenders miss in the open field and picking up plenty of yards after catch (YAC).

Either of these receivers could, at the very least, serve as depth if the team decides to utilize Collins, Hyatt, or Olzewski as one of its starting three wideouts. They could also make an impact on the field, with Slayton and Robinson set to become the top two options at the position.

While Robinson is a slot receiver, one of these two could potentially even start across Slayton if needed, but will be much more likely to be upgraded from the practice squad to serve as active depth with the receiver room thinning.

Could the Giants trade for wide receiver help

A sterling example of a wide receiver used sparingly that could make a difference with the Giants would be Christian Kirk. The former Jaguars wideout has only six catches for 45 yards this season with Houston, making him a prime trade candidate for the Texans.

Big Blue could get Kirk for cheap, and he could be used in the middle of the field with his route-running abilities. He could also stick around for a few seasons, as Kirk is still only 29 years old.

The best option would likely be Jakobi Meyers of the Las Vegas Raiders. Meyers requested a trade from Las Vegas before the season, which was denied by the Raiders, but they might be more willing to deal him after their own 1-3 start.

Last season, Meyers caught 87 passes for 1,027 yards, and the receiver leads Las Vegas in receptions, targets, and receiving yards, with 258 yards in the first four games of the season.

With Meyers entering free agency after this season, the Raiders’ brass would be wise to trade him for a late-round pick this season, especially when a team like the Giants could desperately use his production.

Bringing back fan favorites could be exciting

Two candidates fit this category, both of whom were fan-favorites and made huge impacts during their time on the Giants. If either could come back this season, they could provide a huge spark for the Giants’ offense.

The more likely and realistic one would be Isaiah Hodgins, who played a key role for New York in its 2022 playoff season, with 105 receiving yards and a touchdown during Big Blue’s 31-24 Wild Card win over the Minnesota Vikings.

Hodgins proceeded to appear in all 17 games and start nine for the Giants in 2023 before being re-signed to their practice squad in 2024. He is familiar with Daboll’s offense and could make an impact right away, as he did in 2022.

Giants fans have been clamoring for Odell Beckham Jr. to return to New York for years now, and the speculation has only grown much louder following the Nabers’ injury.

After wowing fans with his historic early-career production and his famous one-handed catch against the Cowboys, Beckham Jr. has bounced around the league after his trade to the Browns, winning the Super Bowl with the Rams in 2022.

OBJ recovered from his own torn ACL that he suffered in that Super Bowl before playing parts of the last two seasons with the Ravens and Dolphins.

He has remained in playing shape and has expressed a desire to continue his NFL career, despite not being picked up by any NFL team this year.

A Giants homecoming would be a fairytale ending for his storied legacy, with Beckham Jr. able to mentor the younger receivers and bring back some excitement to a fanbase that is deeply missing their current LSU superstar.