Malik Nabers — 2026 Fantasy Outlook

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Nabers put together one of the more productive three-year careers at LSU in recent memory, hauling in 189 passes for 3,003 yards and 21 touchdowns. He made a strong impression in 2022 with 72 catches for 1,017 yards and three scores before taking a significant step forward in 2023 (89 receptions for 1,569 yards and 14 touchdowns), with nine 100-yard performances along the way (13/239/2, 8/130/2, 8/102, 6/146/1, 4/121/2, 10/171/1, 6/132, 8/140/2, and 6/122/2). He averaged 17.6 yards per catch across his college career.

Watching his 2023 tape, a few things stand out quickly. Nabers consistently won off the line with clean releases, and defenses frequently left him without safety help over the top, a coverage error he punished repeatedly. What separates him from other contested-catch receivers is his pre-snap and post-snap processing; he identifies open windows before the ball is out of the quarterback's hand and attacks them with elite hands and after-catch physicality. His routes at the intermediate and deep levels carry a natural confidence, and his movements are already there. It's mostly a matter of sharpening the technical details with NFL-level reps.

Despite losing two games to a concussion, Nabers finished his rookie season second among all wide receivers in targets with 170, just five behind Ja'Marr Chase. He saw double-digit targets in 10 games and topped 100 yards in three outings (10/127/1, 12/115, and 7/171/2). In 60% of his 15 starts, the Giants’ star wideout delivered at least seven catches as a floor. The areas to monitor going forward are catch rate (64.1%) and yards per reception (11.0), both of which have meaningful room to grow as his route running and timing with Jaxton Dart develop.

Last season, Nabers came into the summer with a toe issue that was also prominent in his college career. A shoulder issue emerged in late July, followed by a minor back issue that emerged just before the start of the regular season. New York gave him double-digit targets in his first two games (12 and 12), with the latter resulting in an impact showing (9/167/2). Two weeks later (2/13 and 2/20 on 10 combined targets), his season was over with a torn ACL in his right knee.

Based on his rookie opportunity and the success of Wan’Dale Robinson in 2025 (92/1,014/4), Nabers looks poised to see winning targets in 2026, even with a potential slow start to the year. Investing in players coming off significant injuries tends to lead to underperformance in the fantasy market. Volume of chances will be his friend, so following Nabers’ progress this summer is a must. I’ll set his early bar at 90 catches for 1,000 yards and seven touchdowns and adjust when I get the projections in early July.