EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Malik Nabers joined the Giants with high expectations, and he has exceeded them.
If Nabers’ first two career games are an accurate indicator of a long-term trend, the Giants’ sensational rookie wide receiver is in the infancy of a record-shattering career. The sixth selection in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft has 15 receptions and 193 yards on 25 targets.
The 15 catches are the most by a wide receiver drafted in the top 10 in his first two career games in the common draft era (since 1967). Among all players, Nabers is tied for second with running back Reggie Bush with New Orleans in 2006. The record-holder with 16 is a back familiar to Giants fans, Saquon Barkley, who caught a Giants-record 14 passes in his second career game, at Dallas on Sept. 16, 2018.
Nabers’ 193 yards in his first two games place him first among all players selected in top the 10 in the common draft.
He joined Odell Beckham, Jr. as the only Giants rookies in the Super Bowl era with 10+ receptions, 125+ receiving yards, and one touchdown in a game. Beckham did it four times in 2014.
With Tampa Bay’s Chris Godwin and Las Vegas rookie tight end Brock Bowers, Nabers is tied for second in the NFL in receptions, three behind the Rams’ Cooper Kupp. Nabers’ 193 yards lead all rookies and is fourth overall.
He has six third-down catches, tying him with Houston’s Nico Collins for second in the league, one behind Godwin.
Nabers 25 targets are second in the league; Kupp has 27.
Last week in Washington, Daniel Jones threw 18 of his 28 passes to Nabers, who caught 10 of them for 127 yards and his first NFL touchdown.
“It’s just the work that we put in,” said Nabers, who looks to help the Giants get their first victory of the season and add to his totals tomorrow against the Browns in Cleveland. “He’s certain that if he throws me the ball, the play is going to be made or the ball is just going to be knocked down. Him going at me that many times shows how much trust he has in me and the trust this offense has in me. Just moving on and continue to grow.
“I want that many targets. It shows how much my offense cares about me to get me the ball in space and lets me do what I’m able to do.”
Nabers was an elite receiver at LSU, where he set the school records for catches (189) and receiving yards (3,003). From the first day he stepped on the Giants’ practice field, it was evident he could be a…
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