Malik Nabers Slipping in 2026 Drafts

Jul 7, 2026, 9:13 AM ET

New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers broke the team's single-season reception record as a rookie, but in his sophomore campaign, he was on the field for only 31 total snaps with quarterback Jaxson Dart before a complicated knee injury ended his season. As one of the most talented receivers in the game, it's easy to assume that a healthy Nabers will build a natural chemistry with the second-year quarterback and step right back into his role as a target magnet, particularly with the team's leading receiver from a year ago, Wan'Dale Robinson, off to Tennessee. However, Nabers is still actively rehabbing from the torn ACL, meniscus repair, and subsequent scar tissue cleanup, and it's believed the team will continue to manage his recovery throughout training camp. While there is still some optimism that the 2024 first-round pick could be ready for the start of the season, he'll likely require time to ramp up and acclimate to a brand new offense, and a slow start to his third season is not out of the question. New head coach John Harbaugh ran one of the league's run-heaviest offenses in his final seasons in Baltimore, and there are indications he intends to do the same in New York, adding further barriers to a potential repeat of Nabers' 165 targets from his rookie season. Still a cornerstone piece in dynasty leagues, enough elements are working against Nabers to push him down to WR17 in RotoBaller's current 2026 rankings.--Patrick McGrath
Source: RotoBaller