NFL teams are officially on a break after the conclusion of mandatory minicamps last week. Teams and players will report back to their respective facilities at the end of July for training camp, which leads right into preseason activity.
Throughout organized team activities (OTAs) and minicamp this spring, the New York Giants got a feel for what the new-look Big Blue roster will be in 2026. No more Dexter Lawrence. No more Wan’Dale Robinson. Welcome, Arvell Reese and Malachai Fields. Those aren’t the only changes, but a small representation of differences on both sides of the ball.
Malik Nabers is still expected to be ready for the start of the season, but rumors are swirling that he may not be available as quickly as anticipated. With the loss of Robinson and tight end Daniel Bellinger, and without Nabers being healthy, the Giants may have a situation on their hands.
They’ll rely heavily on Darius Slayton and Darnell Moody, but Bleacher Report has another idea. Third-round draft pick Malachi Fields could surprise us all and earn a starting role in 2026, suggests Brent Sobleski.
Malachi Fields was considered a solid second-round option heading into April’s draft. While he didn’t post huge numbers during his final season on campus, the near-6’5″, 218-pound target dominated at the Senior Bowl. Because of Field’s frame, ball-winning traits and blocking on the outside, the rookie adds an immediate skill set to the Giants’ offense that’s largely missing from the rest of the group. Specifically, he can be an instant red-zone threat and security blanket on critical downs.
Plenty of name recognition is now found among Jaxson Dart’s wide receivers. However, the team invested in Fields before going out and trying to fill out the rest of the room. The organization sees this year’s 74th overall pick as a legitimate piece of the puzzle.
“The guys we brought in in free agency. We drafted a really good player [in Fields]. We’ll get Darius [Slayton] back, another guy,” head coach John Harbaugh told reporters. “When you step back and look at it, you got about five guys you feel really good about.”
Before the draft, it was said that Fields could eventually become WR2, but that was probably his ceiling. However, with the right coaching, the right play calling, and given the right routes to run, Fields could be much better than anticipated.
At 6-foot-4 and 218 pounds, Fields isn’t fast to start, but he knows how to use his body to create separation. His footwork needs some love this summer, but if he’s given the right routes, he can leap, extend, and make incredible catches over defenders who are helpless to stop him. He doesn’t go down easy after the catch, either, and consistently wins 50/50 balls.
The Giants also believe Fields plays faster than the stopwatch.
Obviously, if Nabers is healthy, he’s unquestionably WR1. But if Fields works hard enough, he could break into the starting lineup as WR2 before the season ends.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Could New York Giants WR Malachi Fields emerge as a surprise starter?
Reporting by Serena Burks, Giants Wire / Giants Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Serena Burks, Giants Wire | USA TODAY Network
