NFL 2026 PREVIEW: NEW YORK GIANTS

The New York Giants enter the 2026 campaign looking to rebound from a dismal 4-13 finish in the prior season. Warren Sharp’s forecast projects 7.5 wins for the franchise, which places them fourth in their division. This outlook arrives despite a challenging slate, as the Strength of Schedule ranks 23 on a scale where 1 is easiest and 32 is hardest, marking the tenth-most difficult path in the league. Unit evaluations highlight a disparity between coaching and coverage, with the head coach position ranked fifteenth strongest while the secondary is ranked 28th. The betting market reflects this uncertainty, listing a season-average spread of 2.0 points, indicating the team is expected to be underdogs by that margin on average. Addressing these structural weaknesses will be essential for any realistic push toward respectability.

Research note. Warren Sharp's 2026 Football Preview sets the agenda for each team preview — what to cover and where to dig. Snapshot figures (forecast, SOS, unit ranks, Vegas lines) are credited to Sharp. Tables below are Hacking DFS calculations from nflverse (primary data source), including FTN charting data, plus NFL Next Gen Stats, 2025 play-by-play, snap counts, DraftKings weekly salaries, and NFL+ season averages. Play-level fantasy points are full PPR; weekly floor/ceiling numbers are DraftKings scoring. Please purchase the book for the full chapter, charts, tables and first-class expert commentary.

Team Snapshot

Win forecast, division finish, strength of schedule, and Vegas lines are from Sharp. 2025 record, ATS, totals, and scoring are Hacking DFS.

Coaches & Personnel Impact

Coaching Staff

Key Additions: Isaiah Likely (TE), Tremaine Edmunds (LB), Greg Newsome II (CB), D.J. Reader (IDL), Jordan Stout (P), Patrick Ricard (FB), Darnell Mooney (WR), Shelby Harris (IDL), Calvin Austin III (WR) (IR — torn ACL), Odell Beckham Jr. (WR), Najee Harris (RB), Dominic Zvada (K), and C.J. Okoye (DL) (via trade).

Key Departures: Dexter Lawrence (IDL) to the Bengals, Cordale Flott (CB) to the Titans, Russell Wilson (QB), Bobby Okereke (LB), Daniel Bellinger (TE) to the Titans, Graham Gano (K), Dane Belton (S) to the Jets, Austin Schlottmann (C) to the Titans, Greg Van Roten (RG), Jamie Gillan (P), Chris Board (LB), Casey Kreiter (LS) to the Cardinals, James Hudson (RT) to the Patriots, Victor Dimukeje (EDGE), D.J. Davidson (IDL) to the Commanders, Neville Hewitt (LB), Tomon Fox (EDGE), Elijah Chatman (IDL) to the Browns, Da'Quan Felton (WR), Wan'Dale Robinson (WR) to the Titans, TJ Moore (CB), and Anthony Johnson Jr. (S).

Unavailable / status: Calvin Austin III (WR) — torn ACL, IR, out for the season; Gunner Olszewski (WR/RS) — Reserve/Injured; Roy Robertson-Harris (DE) — Reserve/Injured (placed August 5); Malik Nabers (WR) — made the 53, knee recovery, day-to-day as of Sept 1 (Harbaugh; most team reps).

The Giants enter 2026 with a completely new leadership structure, as John Harbaugh takes over as head coach in his first season alongside offensive coordinator Matt Nagy and defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson, who are also in their inaugural years with the franchise. Sharp ranks this new head coaching unit 15th out of 32 teams, suggesting a middle-of-the-pack influence on game management and preparation. On offense, the personnel churn is significant, marked by the departure of quarterback Russell Wilson and tight end Daniel Bellinger, who left for the Titans. To replenish the passing attack, the team added wide receiver Darnell Mooney, tight end Isaiah Likely, and Odell Beckham Jr. (June 1, initial 53), plus running back Najee Harris (August 18, initial 53), while also bringing in versatile fullback Patrick Ricard to support the ground game. Wan'Dale Robinson signed with Tennessee in March and is not part of the 2026 receiving core. Calvin Austin III is on IR with a torn ACL and is out for the season. These additions aim to stabilize an offense that struggled in the previous campaign, though the loss of veteran leadership at quarterback and tight end creates immediate questions about chemistry and production under Nagy’s system.

Defensively, the front seven undergoes a major transformation with the loss of interior disruptor Dexter Lawrence, who departed for the Bengals, and edge rusher Victor Dimukeje. The Giants attempted to offset these losses by signing interior defensive linemen D.J. Reader and Shelby Harris, along with linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, who replaces Bobby Okereke in the middle of the defense. The secondary also sees changes, with cornerback Cordale Flott leaving for the Titans and safety Dane Belton departing for the Jets, while Greg Newsome II arrives to help shore up the cornerback position. New York also acquired DL C.J. Okoye from Baltimore just before cutdown; he made the active roster. Despite these moves, Sharp ranks the secondary 28th. Special teams saw the addition of punter Jordan Stout to replace Jamie Gillan and UDFA Dominic Zvada winning the kicker job after Graham Gano left, rounding out a roster that has seen substantial turnover on both sides of the ball.

2026 Draft Class

Draft class summary

The Giants addressed linebacker, the offensive line, and the secondary early, selecting Arvell Reese and Francis Mauigoa in the first round and Colton Hood in the second. Mauigoa, an OL from Miami, went No. 10 overall on the pick acquired in the Dexter Lawrence trade. Sharp notes that while Reese’s selection at pick five was justifiable from a best-available perspective, it was mildly surprising given the significant financial investment in edge rushers Abdul Carter and Brian Burns. With those two locked into roles on the perimeter, Reese is projected to operate primarily as an off-ball linebacker, mirroring the role he played at Ohio State. This alignment allows him to contribute on blitzes, though his value as a pure edge rusher is diminished by the existing roster construction and the team’s tendency to blitz at one of the lowest rates in the league. In the second round, the team added Colton Hood from Tennessee to bolster a secondary unit that Sharp ranked 28th.

New York continued to add depth with Malachi Fields in the third round, followed by a cluster of selections in the sixth round. The team selected Bobby Jamison-Travis from Auburn, J. C. Davis from Illinois, and Jack Kelly from BYU with picks 186, 192, and 193 respectively. These later additions provide necessary rotational options along the defensive line and at linebacker, helping to offset the departures of key veterans such as Dexter Lawrence and Bobby Okereke. By focusing on these specific positions, the draft class aims to stabilize the units that struggled most in the previous season without reaching for immediate starters at skill positions already addressed through free agency.

Sharp Forecasts New York Giants with 7.5 Wins

Sharp forecasts New York Giants at 7.5 wins, a projection that reflects a roster undergoing significant turnover after a 4-13 campaign in 2025. The team faces the 10th-hardest schedule according to Sharp’s strength of schedule scale, ranking 23rd where one is easiest and 32 is hardest. This difficult slate is compounded by the departure of key defensive anchors, including interior lineman Dexter Lawrence to the Bengals and cornerback Cordale Flott to the Titans. The front seven also loses linebacker Bobby Okereke and edge rusher Victor Dimukeje, while the secondary sees safety Dane Belton depart for the Jets. To offset these losses, the Giants added interior lineman D.J. Reader and linebacker Tremaine Edmunds via free agency, alongside cornerback Greg Newsome II. The offense must replace tight end Daniel Bellinger, who is no longer with the team, though they brought in tight end Isaiah Likely, wide receivers Darnell Mooney and Odell Beckham Jr., and running back Najee Harris. Calvin Austin III is on IR (ACL) for the season. C.J. Okoye joined the defensive line from Baltimore before cutdown. Quarterback Russell Wilson is also listed among the departures, signaling a change under center as the team attempts to improve upon its previous season's struggles.

Special teams and discipline metrics offer a mixed backdrop for this win total forecast. While the Giants ranked 29th in accepted penalties and 32nd in accepted offensive penalties last season, they benefited from being first in penalties accepted against opponents and first in penalty yards drawn from foes. This disparity resulted in an eighth-place finish in net penalty EPA, suggesting that officiating trends may not uniformly favor them moving forward. The unit rankings highlight a potential weakness in the secondary, which Sharp rates 28th, while the head coach receives a 15th-place ranking. With an average betting line positioning them as 2-point underdogs for the season and a road average spread of 5.2 points, the Giants face steep expectations. The addition of punter Jordan Stout and fullback Patrick Ricard aims to stabilize special teams and short-yardage situations, but the overall roster changes leave the team projected to finish fourth in its division.

Schedule Timing & Rest

Sharp’s timing metrics place the New York Giants in a middle-tier position regarding recovery advantages, ranking thirteenth in net rest edge with a season total of plus three days. This aggregate figure stems from seven weeks with a non-zero rest differential, including a significant seven-day advantage in Week 9 against Philadelphia and a three-day boost in Week 11 versus Jacksonville. Conversely, the schedule imposes rest deficits, such as minus three days in Week 2 at Los Angeles and again in Week 12 at Indianapolis. The broader timing profile shows a tenth-place finish in general rest rank, while the preparation rank sits at twenty-fourth and the negated bye rank lands at nineteenth. These figures indicate that while the cumulative rest days are slightly positive, the distribution of those days creates specific weekly disparities rather than a uniform advantage throughout the campaign.

The structural components of the slate further define these timing challenges, with the Giants ranking twelfth in short-week road games and fifteenth in games off road Sunday Night Football or Monday Night Football broadcasts. The week-by-week rest edges highlight specific pressure points, such as the minus one-day deficit in Week 3 against Tennessee and another minus one-day gap in Week 17 at Dallas. Prime-time travel assignments also contribute to the fatigue profile, notably the Monday Night Football road game in Week 2 and the Monday Night Football away contest in Week 16 against Detroit. By finishing fifteenth in avoiding road prime-time spots, the team faces a moderate level of logistical disruption compared to the rest of the league. The combination of these travel demands and variable rest windows results in a schedule that offers intermittent relief but requires careful management during the identified deficit weeks.

Team timing ranks vs NFL (1=best)

Net rest edge rank is season net rest days (1=most helped, 32=most hurt); this club +3 days.

Critical & Game-Deciding Stats

Turnovers

Giveaways: Jaxson Dart (5 INT, 2 FL), Russell Wilson (3 INT), Jameis Winston (2 INT, 1 FL), Darius Slayton (1 FL), Cam Skattebo (1 FL), Gunner Olszewski (1 FL, special teams return), Tyrone Tracy Jr. (1 FL). Takeaways: Andru Phillips (2 INT, 1 FR), Bobby Okereke (2 INT, 1 FR), Abdul Carter (2 FR), Dexter Lawrence (1 INT), Cordale Flott (1 INT), Jevon Holland (1 INT)

The New York Giants managed ball security reasonably well in 2025, ranking eleventh in the league with only 17 total giveaways. This figure included 10 interceptions thrown and seven fumbles lost, placing them twelfth in that specific category. Jaxson Dart accounted for the most turnovers among quarterbacks with five interceptions and two fumbles lost, while Russell Wilson threw three interceptions before his departure. The rushing and receiving corps contributed to the fumble total, with Darius Slayton, Cam Skattebo, Tyrone Tracy Jr., and Gunner Olszewski each losing one fumble. Notably, Olszewski’s fumble occurred on a special teams return rather than during an offensive play. With Wilson listed among the 2026 departures, the quarterback room will look different, but the overall team tendency toward protecting the football provides a stable baseline for the upcoming season.

Defensive takeaway production was a significant weakness, as the unit finished twenty-fifth in the league with just 15 total takeaways. This poor showing included only nine interceptions, which ranked twenty-third, and six fumble recoveries, which ranked twenty-fourth. Andru Phillips and the now-departed Bobby Okereke led the defense with two interceptions and one fumble recovery each, while Abdul Carter added two fumble recoveries. Dexter Lawrence, Cordale Flott, and Jevon Holland each recorded one interception, but both Lawrence and Flott are no longer with the team after departing for other clubs. The loss of these key playmakers creates uncertainty for a secondary that already ranks as the weakest unit on the roster according to Sharp. Adding Greg Newsome II via free agency offers some reinforcement, but the group must generate more turnovers to improve upon a negative two turnover margin from the prior year.

Sacks

Yardage surrendered to sacks: Jaxson Dart 152 yards; Russell Wilson 66 yards; Jameis Winston 11 yards. Formation-play sack shares divide sacks by all plays from that formation, including runs, so they are not conventional dropback sack rates: 40/760 ≈ 5.3% of shotgun plays; 8/245 ≈ 3.3% of under center plays. Coverage-shell rows are raw sack counts (and count ranks), not per-snap efficiency measures.

Sack leaders (defense): Brian Burns (16.5), Abdul Carter (4), Darius Alexander (3.5), Rakeem Nunez-Roches (3)

The Giants’ pass protection struggles were evident in the yardage surrendered by their quarterbacks, with Jaxson Dart absorbing the heaviest toll at 152 yards lost to sacks. Russell Wilson contributed 66 yards of sack damage before his departure, while Jameis Winston added another 11 yards to the team’s negative total. When viewing these pressures through the lens of formation-play shares, which include running plays in the denominator, the data shows that 40 sacks occurred across 760 shotgun plays, representing approximately 5.3% of those snaps. The unit was slightly more secure when lined up under center, where 8 sacks were recorded across 245 plays for a share of roughly 3.3%. These figures highlight specific situational vulnerabilities rather than serving as conventional dropback sack rates, illustrating how often the pocket collapsed relative to the total number of plays run from each alignment.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Giants face significant roster turnover after losing key interior presence Dexter Lawrence to the Bengals and edge rushers Victor Dimukeje and Tomon Fox. The team has attempted to replenish its front seven by adding D.J. Reader and Shelby Harris as interior defensive linemen via free agency. Brian Burns remains the centerpiece after a 16.5-sack season, while Abdul Carter returns after recording four sacks as a rookie. The broader context still involves replacing production from departed veterans like Lawrence and Dimukeje. The effectiveness of the new-look defensive line will depend on how quickly Reader and Harris can integrate into the scheme to generate pressure, especially given the loss of established starters who previously anchored the pass rush.

Return Touchdowns

Punt & kickoff TDs scored: 1 (#7) — Deonte Banks (kickoff return).

Opponent punt & kickoff TDs: 2 (#28) — Marcus Jones (punt return) and Jaylin Lane (punt return).

Punt returns 26 for 223 yards; kickoff returns 70 for 1942 yards.

The New York Giants generated one special teams touchdown during the regular season, a score that came on a kickoff return by Deonte Banks. This production placed the team seventh in the league for combined punt and kickoff return scores. The unit handled a significant volume of opportunities, recording 70 kickoff returns for 1,942 yards alongside 26 punt returns that totaled 223 yards. While the yardage totals reflect consistent usage, the scoring output relied entirely on that single explosive play from Banks rather than multiple contributors finding the end zone.

Defensively, the Giants allowed two touchdowns on returns, a figure that ranked 28th in the NFL. Both scores occurred on punt returns, with Marcus Jones and Jaylin Lane each taking one back for a touchdown against New York. The coverage units did not surrender any scores on kickoff returns, but the two permitted punt return touchdowns highlight areas where field position and containment were breached. These results define the special teams scoring ledger without implying broader efficiency metrics beyond the recorded outcomes.

Penalties

Offense: 74 penalties for 554 yards (#30). Most common: False Start (26), Offensive Holding (16), Delay of Game (10). Most flags in Shotgun (21), Under Center (8), Pistol (4). Most flagged players: Jermaine Eluemunor (12), James Hudson (5), Darius Slayton (4).

Defense-side nflverse bucket: 54 penalties for 521 yards (#28), including 2 special-teams punt-return holdings — not a pure scheme-defense total. Most common: Defensive Pass Interference (14), Defensive Holding (7), Defensive Offside (7). Most flags on Cover 1 (17), Cover 3 (7), Cover 2 (3). Most flagged players: Andru Phillips (9), Abdul Carter (5), Dexter Lawrence (5).

League Rank polarity: #1 = fewest penalties (most disciplined); #32 = most flags.

The Giants’ offense struggled with discipline, accumulating 74 penalties for 554 yards, which ranked 30th in the league. False starts were the most frequent infraction with 26 occurrences, followed by 16 instances of offensive holding and 10 delay of game penalties. These flags appeared most often when the unit operated out of shotgun formation, which drew 21 penalties, while alignments under center resulted in eight flags.

On the defensive side of the ball, the team also faced significant penalty issues that contributed to their overall lack of discipline. The secondary, which Sharp ranks as the weakest unit at number 28, must improve its consistency to avoid giving opponents free yardage through unnecessary infractions. Cleaning up these mental errors will be essential for a roster that has added veterans like Tremaine Edmunds and D.J. Reader to stabilize the defense after losing key contributors such as Dexter Lawrence and Bobby Okereke.

Early Downs & Red Zone Efficiency

Early Downs: 813 plays, 41.5% success, -0.01 EPA/play (#23). Most efficient on early downs: Gunner Olszewski (8 plays, 0.97 EPA/play), Daniel Bellinger (19 plays, 0.65 EPA/play).

Red Zone: 185 plays, 31.9% success, -0.30 EPA/play (#32). Most efficient in the red zone: Jaxson Dart (22 plays, 0.58 EPA/play).

The Giants struggled to generate positive value on early downs, running 813 plays that resulted in a 41.5% success rate and a marginal -0.01 EPA per play. This output ranked 23rd in the league, indicating significant room for improvement in establishing offensive rhythm before facing third-down pressure. Among individual 2025 contributors, Gunner Olszewski posted 0.97 EPA/play over eight early-down plays, while Daniel Bellinger recorded 0.65 over 19 before leaving for Tennessee.

Red zone execution proved to be a critical weakness, as the offense managed only a 31.9% success rate across 185 plays inside the 20-yard line. The unit finished last in the NFL with a -0.30 EPA per play in these high-leverage spots, highlighting an inability to convert opportunities into points efficiently. Jaxson Dart stood out as the primary bright spot in this area, leading the team with a 0.58 EPA per play over 22 red zone plays. Improving this bottom-ranked efficiency will be essential for the team to capitalize on drives that successfully navigate the earlier phases of the field.

Pass Rate / Rush Rate

On neutral downs, pass rate over expected (PROE) was -5.8 (#29); they passed 46.1% of those snaps.

On pass plays (not official attempts): Jaxson Dart (41.6% success on 375 pass plays), Russell Wilson (36.4% success on 129 pass plays), Jameis Winston (43.5% success on 69 pass plays).

On rushes (qualifying 2025 PBP rush plays — not official NFL attempt totals): Tyrone Tracy Jr. (36.9% success on 176 qualifying PBP rush plays), Devin Singletary (38.7% success on 119 qualifying PBP rush plays), Cam Skattebo (41.2% success on 102 qualifying PBP rush plays).

The New York Giants leaned heavily on the ground game in 2025, ranking sixth in rush play frequency at 46.6% while passing on just 53.4% of their snaps, which placed them 27th in the league. This run-heavy approach resulted in 503 rush plays, the second-most in the NFL, compared to 576 pass plays that ranked 20th. Despite the high volume of running snaps, the offense averaged 4.38 yards per rush play, ranking 18th, while their passing efficiency was slightly better at 6.04 yards per pass play, good for 16th overall. On neutral downs specifically, the team showed a conservative tendency with a pass rate over expected (PROE) of -5.8, which ranked 29th, as they chose to pass on only 46.1% of those situations.

Individual efficiency varied among the primary ball carriers and passers when looking at play-by-play success rates. Among quarterbacks, Jameis Winston led the group with a 43.5% success rate on 69 pass plays, while Jaxson Dart posted a 41.6% success rate across 375 pass plays and Russell Wilson recorded a 36.4% success rate on 129 pass plays. In the backfield, Cam Skattebo was the most efficient runner with a 41.2% success rate on 102 qualifying rush plays, followed by Devin Singletary at 38.7% on 119 plays and Tyrone Tracy Jr. at 36.9% on 176 plays. These figures highlight a rushing attack that generated significant volume but relied on specific contributors to maintain positive play outcomes.

Explosive Plays

Explosive Playmakers (Offense)

Coverages Beaten

Explosive Plays Allowed (Defense)

Coverages When Explosives Were Allowed

Explosive play = 20+ yards gained on a rush or pass (2025 PBP). Rank 1 = most generated on offense / fewest allowed on defense.

The New York Giants offense generated 62 explosive plays of 20 or more yards during the 2025 season, accumulating 1,789 total yards from those big gains. The 62 explosive plays ranked 12th in raw count, with the majority of these chunk plays coming through the passing game rather than on the ground. Those explosives were a real part of the 2025 passing game. The skill group and offensive line around them have changed a lot since.

Defensively, the Giants allowed 68 explosive plays of 20 or more yards, ranking 26th in that raw count. Sharp ranks the secondary 28th. With the departure of Dexter Lawrence and Cordale Flott, and the addition of D.J. Reader, Greg Newsome II, and C.J. Okoye, the team aims to cut that allowed count in 2026.

Offensive Personnel Usage

FP/play is full PPR from 2025 PBP, not DraftKings.

RPOs are also counted in shotgun, pistol, or under center.

The New York Giants relied heavily on the 11 personnel package, which features one running back, one tight end, and three wide receivers, for the majority of their offensive snaps in 2025. This grouping accounted for 658 plays and generated 1.31 fantasy points per play in full PPR scoring, with Tyrone Tracy Jr., Theo Johnson, Wan'Dale Robinson, Darius Slayton, and Isaiah Hodgins serving as the primary contributors. The team also utilized the 12 personnel set, consisting of one running back, two tight ends, and two wide receivers, on 355 occasions, producing 1.26 fantasy points per play with Tracy, Johnson, Daniel Bellinger, Robinson, and Slayton leading the usage. A much smaller sample of 53 plays came from the 13 personnel look, which deploys one running back, three tight ends, and one wide receiver, yielding 1.11 fantasy points per play behind Devin Singletary, Chris Manhertz, Bellinger, Johnson, and Robinson.

In terms of alignment, the Giants operated out of the shotgun formation on 760 plays, representing 70.6% of their total snaps and resulting in 1.39 fantasy points per play. Under-center plays occurred on 245 snaps, or 22.7% of the total, and produced 1.03 fantasy points per play, while the pistol formation was used sparingly for a 0.89 fantasy points per play average. Run-pass options were integrated into these formations rather than standing as a separate structural base, appearing on 130 plays for a 12.1% share and generating 0.77 fantasy points per play. Production differed by formation, with the shotgun look providing the highest efficiency among the listed alignments.

Pre-snap Motion & Play Action

Motion rate rank #32; play-action rank #18 (32-team, 2025 PBP + FTN charting).

FPavg is full PPR per play.

The New York Giants operated with the lowest pre-snap motion frequency in the league during the 2025 season, ranking 32nd among all teams. They utilized motion on 38.6 percent of their plays, which amounted to 417 plays featuring such movement. When the offense deployed pre-snap motion, it achieved a 44.4 percent success rate and generated an average of 1.26 full PPR fantasy points per play. In contrast, plays run without motion resulted in a slightly higher average of 1.28 fantasy points per play, indicating that the lack of motion did not inherently suppress per-play production values for this unit.

Play action was used much less frequently than motion but still remained below the league median, as the team ranked 18th in play-action rate. The Giants called play action on 13.3 percent of their plays. These designs produced a 43.4 percent success rate and yielded 1.54 fantasy points per play when executed. On plays where the quarterback did not use play action, the offense averaged 1.23 fantasy points per play. The data shows a clear descriptive gap in per-play output between play-action snaps and standard dropbacks, even though the overall usage rate was modest.

Passing Game: 2025 Recap & 2026 Outlook

Sharp ranks the Giants’ quarterback room at number 20, a standing that reflects the transition from veteran stopgaps to a rookie-led core in 2025. Jaxson Dart started 12 games as a first-year player, completing 63.7 percent of his passes for 6.7 yards per attempt with 15 touchdowns and five interceptions. His availability was compromised by durability concerns, as he was evaluated for concussions five times during the preseason and regular season combined, including an injury in Week 10 that caused him to miss the following two weeks. Behind Dart, Jameis Winston made two starts, leading the team to competitive losses against the Packers and Lions, while Russell Wilson is listed among the 2026 departures.

The offensive line is rated number 20 by Sharp, providing a middle-of-the-road foundation for the passing attack. First-round OL Francis Mauigoa (No. 10 overall) is listed as the starting right guard on the current depth chart. Dart’s weekly production on DraftKings averaged 18.0 points across 13 tracked games, with a floor of 13.6 and a ceiling of 28.3. His efficiency metrics included a completion percentage over expectation of minus-2.0 percent and an expected points added per dropback of 0.00. The rushing game provided significant support to the passing offense, though Dart’s need to protect himself remains a priority given his history of head injuries during his rookie campaign.

Looking toward 2026, the Giants retain Dart as the primary option with Winston under contract as the backup. The departure of Russell Wilson clears the depth chart, allowing the staff to build around Dart’s development. While the rookie showed upside with 15 touchdown passes, his ability to stay on the field will be the defining factor for the unit’s progress. The combination of a ranked offensive line and a young quarterback suggests the team will continue to rely on balanced offensive concepts to maximize efficiency.

QB fantasy metrics. DKavg, floor, ceiling, Slate Win, Avg $, and FP/$ from weekly DraftKings logs. EPA/DB and CPOE from NFL+ regular-season averages. Slate Win = weeks in the top N at that DK position on the salary slate (QB 5 / RB·WR 12 / TE 6). DK GP is the fantasy-tracked sample.

Receiving Game: 2025 Recap & 2026 Outlook

The New York Giants’ receiving corps enters 2026 with a Sharp unit rank of #26, reflecting a group that saw significant volume distribution among returning holdovers last season. Wan'Dale Robinson led the team in target volume with 140 targets, securing a 25.7% target share and averaging 14.3 DraftKings fantasy points per game over 16 contests. Malik Nabers commanded a high usage rate during his fantasy-tracked sample, posting a 26.1% target share and an air yards per target average of 17.7, though his overall production was curtailed by availability. Darius Slayton provided deep-field utility with 63 total targets and a 13.3 air yards per target average, while Theo Johnson emerged as a primary tight end option with 74 targets and a 17.0% target share across 15 games. Daniel Bellinger, who left for the Titans, contributed 26 targets in 2025 and posted strong efficiency metrics with 2.29 DraftKings fantasy points per target.

Inside-the-20 involvement was heavily concentrated among Johnson and Robinson, who each collected 14 targets on the Red Zone Targets table below. Johnson converted those looks into a 2.41 red-zone fantasy point average, while Robinson’s 14 TGT inside the 20 resulted in a lower 0.99 average despite his high overall volume. Slayton added eight TGT there, and Bellinger accounted for six. Looking ahead to 2026, the active WR group is Malik Nabers, Darius Slayton, Darnell Mooney, Odell Beckham Jr., and rookie Malachi Fields (Rd 3, pick 74). Calvin Austin III tore his ACL in late August and is on IR for the rest of the season — Nabers is active but is being managed through a knee recovery (Harbaugh called him day-to-day on September 1; he took most team reps). Isaiah Likely joins the tight end room with Theo Johnson after Bellinger’s departure.

The 2026 outlook hinges on how Mooney, Beckham, and Fields integrate with Nabers and Slayton . Likely adds another layer to the tight end rotation alongside Johnson. The Giants will look for Fields and the veteran adds to provide depth and upside to a unit Sharp ranked #26 entering the season.

TGT% / Rec EPA / AYavg are NFL+ season averages. TGT% is each player's share of targets over his NFL+ qualifying sample, not necessarily his share of every team target for the full season. For players traded midseason whose NFL+ sample includes games with another club (multi-team PBP targets), those three columns are left blank so prior-team production is not mixed into this club's row. DraftKings columns use this club's fantasy weeks only. Red-zone and early-down tables provide separate club-specific target splits.

Overall Targets

Overall Targets uses NFL+ season targets for players who spent the year with one club. Traded players who changed teams midseason (multi-team PBP targets) are left blank here so the NFL+ season total (which can blend both clubs) is not mistaken for this club's volume; use the red-zone and early-down tables for this club's hierarchy instead.

Red Zone Targets

Early Down Targets

Rushing Game: 2025 Recap & 2026 Outlook

Sharp ranks the Giants’ 2026 running back unit twenty-fourth and the offensive line twentieth, setting the stage for a ground game that still features returning rushers plus a late add at the position (Najee Harris). Tyrone Tracy Jr. led the team in volume during the 2025 season with 176 rushing attempts, while Devin Singletary added 119 carries across seventeen games. Both backs posted negative rushing EPA totals, with Tracy Jr. at -17.1 and Singletary at -7.7, indicating efficiency struggles despite their workload. PBP and NFL+ success rates use different denominators, but the available NFL+ data shows both runners hovering near the same success percentage, with Tracy Jr. at 36.9% and Singletary at 37.0%. These figures suggest a committee approach defined by similar limitations rather than a clear hierarchy of explosive playmakers.

The red-zone picture featured significant contributions from Cam Skattebo. Skattebo recorded 24 red-zone rushes and 4 targets on 28 total opportunities, converting those into 7 total red-zone touchdowns. Tyrone Tracy Jr. followed with 21 red-zone rushes and 5 targets on 26 opportunities for 3 total touchdowns, while Devin Singletary logged 22 red-zone rushes and 2 targets on 24 opportunities for 4 total touchdowns. The disparity between Singletary’s expected fantasy points and his actual production highlights some variance in goal-line efficiency, but the group collectively handled the bulk of short-yardage work. With no running backs listed as departing in free agency or trade, the core trio remains intact to support the offense.

Looking toward 2026, New York signed Najee Harris on August 18 and he made the final cut of 53. The depth chart lists Cam Skattebo first, then Tyrone Tracy Jr., Najee Harris, and Devin Singletary. The 2026 outlook is a four-back group while Sharp’s published Running Backs #24 grade predates the Harris signing. The offensive line’s twentieth-ranked outlook still suggests average blocking potential.

Red Zone Rushing Scope

Team Scoring

PPG from 2025 regular-season finals. FP/G is full PPR per game from PBP (not DraftKings). Rank 1 = most scored / fewest allowed.

The New York Giants posted a middle-of-the-pack scoring output in 2025, averaging 22.4 points per game to rank 17th in the league. This real-world production did not translate into a similarly positioned fantasy aggregate, as the unit generated 80.0 full PPR fantasy points per game, which placed them 20th. The distinction highlights that while the team managed to score at an average clip, the volume and efficiency of skill-player involvement lagged behind their actual point totals.

Defensively, the Giants struggled to keep opponents off the scoreboard, allowing 25.8 points per game, the seventh-most in the NFL. Their defensive unit also surrendered 86.6 fantasy points per game, ranking 19th in that metric. That 2025 production now carries into a 2026 schedule Sharp ranks 23rd on its difficulty scale, indicating a harder slate of matchups ahead for a team looking to improve upon its prior scoring and defensive limitations.

Scoring By Quarter

Avg Pts are NFL points per game in that quarter. FPavg is full PPR per game from PBP, not DraftKings. Rank 1 = most scored / fewest allowed.

The New York Giants demonstrated their most potent scoring output in the final period, averaging 6.9 real points and 22.7 full PPR fantasy points per game in the fourth quarter. These totals ranked 12th and 17th respectively among all teams, marking the franchise's strongest offensive stretches by both metrics. The first quarter also provided solid production, as the team posted 4.9 actual points (11th) and 20.2 fantasy points (8th). In contrast, the middle frames were less productive for the offense, with second-quarter scoring falling to 6.8 points (18th) and third-quarter output dipping to 3.8 points (24th) alongside 16.8 fantasy points (22nd).

Defensive performance varied drastically depending on the game clock, with the unit playing its best football immediately after halftime. The Giants allowed only 2.8 real points and 15.1 fantasy points in the third quarter, ranking second and fifth respectively in fewest points surrendered. However, the defense struggled significantly in the second half's final period and before halftime, yielding 9.0 actual points (30th) and 26.3 fantasy points (26th) in the fourth quarter. The second quarter proved equally difficult, as opponents scored 8.9 points (28th) and generated 28.3 fantasy points (31st) against New York during that span.

Defensive Outlook

Sharp's defensive Rank: Front 7 #17, Secondary #28.

Defensive Studs

Note: Combined tackles are 2025 regular-season nflverse totals (solo + assists). Traded players may include production from a prior club unless a single-club club-stint total is available.

Bobby Okereke led the club with 143 tackles; Brian Burns 16.5 sacks, Abdul Carter 4.0 sacks, Darius Alexander 3.5 sacks.

Defensive counting stats: Bobby Okereke: 2 TFL, 1.0 sacks, 2 INT, 6 PD; Dane Belton: 3 TFL, 2.0 sacks, 1 INT, 5 PD; Tyler Nubin: 7 TFL, 2 PD; Paulson Adebo: 1 TFL, 1 INT, 8 PD; Brian Burns: 22 TFL, 16.5 sacks, 7 PD; Andru Phillips: 9 TFL, 2 INT, 12 PD; Abdul Carter: 7 TFL, 4.0 sacks; Darius Alexander: 4 TFL, 3.5 sacks, 1 PD.

Sharp rates the New York Giants’ Front 7 at number 17 and the Secondary at number 28, though these unit grades were published before the latest roster turnover. The defense faces a significant reshuffling of personnel, highlighted by the departure of interior defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence to the Bengals and cornerback Cordale Flott to the Titans. Additional losses include linebacker Bobby Okereke, safety Dane Belton to the Jets, and several rotational defenders such as Chris Board, Victor Dimukeje, D.J. Davidson to the Commanders, Neville Hewitt, Tomon Fox, Elijah Chatman to the Browns, TJ Moore, and Anthony Johnson Jr. This exodus removes experienced contributors from both the front seven and the back end of the defense, creating immediate vacancies in the starting lineup and depth chart. Roy Robertson-Harris, who posted 35 tackles and six QB hits in 2025, was placed on Reserve/Injured on August 5.

To address these gaps, the Giants added linebacker Tremaine Edmunds, cornerback Greg Newsome II, and interior defensive linemen D.J. Reader and Shelby Harris in free agency, plus DL C.J. Okoye via trade from Baltimore just before cutdown (made the final roster). These acquisitions aim to stabilize a unit that lost key producers like Lawrence and Okereke while attempting to improve a secondary Sharp ranked 28th. The integration of new starters alongside returning holdovers will determine whether the defense can overcome its low secondary ranking and perform adequately against a schedule that Sharp ranks as the 10th-hardest in the league.

Fantasy Points Allowed by Coverage

Rank 1 = fewest PPR fantasy points allowed per snap in that coverage.

Special Teams: 2025 Recap & 2026 Outlook

Graham Gano: 23/26 FG, 36/41 PAT.

Jamie Gillan led with 55 punts (17 inside the 20); also punted: Cameron Johnston 4 (this club; 11 includes another team).

Kickoff returner Gunner Olszewski: 26 returns for 682 yards.

Punt returner Gunner Olszewski: 24 returns for 216 yards.

Special teams tackler Dane Belton: 20 combined tackles on punts and kickoffs.

The Giants enter the 2026 season with significant turnover in their kicking and punting units after losing both Graham Gano and Jamie Gillan to departure. Gano was reliable during the 2025 campaign, converting 23 of 26 field goal attempts for an 88.5% success rate, including one make from 50 yards or longer with a long of 55 yards, while also hitting 36 of 41 extra points. On the punting side, Gillan handled the bulk of the workload with 55 punts, placing 17 inside the 20-yard line, while Cameron Johnston contributed 4 Giants punts (his 11-punt NFL+ total spans two teams; 55 + 4 = 59 team punts). The team addressed the punter vacancy by adding Jordan Stout. Rookie Dominic Zvada won the 2026 kicker job and made the 53 after Gano left.

Gunner Olszewski served as the primary return specialist last season, handling duties on both kickoffs and punts. He recorded 26 kickoff returns for 682 yards and added 24 punt returns for 216 yards, accounting for the majority of the team’s 1,942 kickoff return yards and 223 punt return yards. In coverage, safety Dane Belton was the most active special teams tackler with 20 combined tackles on punts and kickoffs, but he is listed among the 2026 departures to the Jets. Olszewski is on Reserve/Injured. Deonte Banks is listed at kickoff return, while practice-squad WR Braxton Berrios is currently listed first at punt return.

Penalty Analysis

The New York Giants generated significant volatility through penalty enforcement, finishing as a top-three beneficiary of automatic first downs via infractions in 2025. This advantage was driven largely by unnecessary roughness and roughing the passer calls, where the team ranked first and second respectively in benefiting from such flags. Consequently, Giants contests featured the highest volume of combined automatic first downs awarded via penalty across the NFL, a factor that inflates yardage totals and contributes to unpredictable game scripts regardless of offensive or defensive execution.

Discipline issues remained a critical weakness, as the franchise ranked third in penalties per game overall (Sharp) and tied for the second-most flags per game in road contests. Sharp’s penalty methodology assigns 54% of the team’s penalties to the offense; the HackingDFS/nflverse buckets below produce 74 of 128, or 57.8%, under a different classification. New York recorded the most pre-snap penalties per game in the league, with false starts and delay of game infractions accounting for two-thirds of those specific violations. Furthermore, the offense stacked flags on third down and in the fourth quarter, highlighting situational lapses that stalled drives during high-leverage moments.

Types of Penalties

Offense: 74 penalties for 554 yards (#30). Most common: False Start (26), Offensive Holding (16), Delay of Game (10). Most flags in Shotgun (21), Under Center (8), Pistol (4). Most flagged players: Jermaine Eluemunor (12), James Hudson (5), Darius Slayton (4).

Defense-side nflverse bucket: 54 penalties for 521 yards (#28), including 2 special-teams punt-return holdings — not a pure scheme-defense total. Most common: Defensive Pass Interference (14), Defensive Holding (7), Defensive Offside (7). Most flags on Cover 1 (17), Cover 3 (7), Cover 2 (3). Most flagged players: Andru Phillips (9), Abdul Carter (5), Dexter Lawrence (5).

League Rank polarity: #1 = fewest penalties (most disciplined); #32 = most flags.

The Giants’ offense drew 74 flags for 554 yards in 2025, ranking 30th (#1 = fewest flags). False starts were the primary culprit with 26 occurrences, followed by 16 instances of offensive holding and 10 delay of game penalties. These infractions clustered heavily in specific alignments, as 21 flags came on shotgun plays compared to eight under center and four from the pistol formation. Individual discipline issues were concentrated on the line and at receiver, with Jermaine Eluemunor leading the team with 12 penalties. James Hudson accrued five flags before his departure to the Patriots, while Darius Slayton was called for four infractions.

On the other side of the ball, the defense-related nflverse bucket recorded 54 penalties for 521 yards, ranking 28th, though this total includes two special teams holding calls on punt returns rather than representing pure defensive scheme errors. Defensive pass interference was the most frequent issue with 14 flags, accompanied by seven defensive holding penalties. The data highlights that these counts are specific to the listed categories and formations, providing a clear view of where the team struggled with rule compliance during the season.

Top Fantasy Player Targets

Sharp fantasy ranks: Isaiah Likely TE11, Malik Nabers WR14, Cam Skattebo RB22.

The QB, WR, TE, and RB tables above already cover 2025 DraftKings averages, floors, ceilings, slate wins, and salaries from Hacking DFS. This section is the roster call — who to target, who to fade, and who inherits work from free agency and the draft.

Fantasy Points & Expected Fantasy Points

FPavg and xFPavg are full PPR per game from 2025 PBP (not DraftKings).

GP is games with at least one scored skill play in the 2025 PBP fantasy sample — not necessarily official games played.

xFPavg uses expected receiving/rushing/passing fantasy points.

Top scorers: Jaxson Dart (17.1 FPavg), Cam Skattebo (15.7 FPavg), Jameis Winston (14.5 FPavg), Malik Nabers (14.3 FPavg), Wan'Dale Robinson (13.6 FPavg).

Rushes vs Defensive Front 7

Front 7 = rushes against 7 or more defenders in the box (2025 PBP).

Total FP and FPavg are full PPR (not DraftKings).

Fantasy Points vs Coverage

Coverage % is share of offensive plays facing a charted coverage.

Total FP and FPavg are full PPR from 2025 PBP (FPavg is per play).

Cover 3 led the sample at 173 plays (27.5%) and 384 total full-PPR fantasy points (2.22 FPavg), with Wan'Dale Robinson (90) and Darius Slayton (50) the top 2025 scorers in that shell. Cover 1 was next (171 plays, 293 Total FP). Those 2025 coverage splits stay historical; Robinson is not a 2026 Giant.

Skill adds: Isaiah Likely (TE), Patrick Ricard (FB), Darnell Mooney (WR), Odell Beckham Jr. (WR), and Najee Harris (RB).

Skill losses: Russell Wilson (QB), Daniel Bellinger (TE) to the Titans, Wan'Dale Robinson (WR) to the Titans, and Da'Quan Felton (WR).

Skill draft picks: Malachi Fields (WR, Rd 3, Notre Dame).

Jaxson Dart led the Giants in 2025 with 17.1 fantasy points per game, establishing himself as the primary fantasy asset despite the team’s struggles. Cam Skattebo followed closely with 15.7 FPavg, while Jameis Winston contributed 14.5 FPavg in his appearances. Among the wide receivers, Malik Nabers posted 14.3 FPavg and Wan'Dale Robinson added 13.6 FPavg in that 2025 sample (Robinson signed with Tennessee).

The receiving corps reshuffles without Robinson: Mooney and Odell Beckham Jr. (June 1, 53) join Nabers and Slayton, with rookie Malachi Fields. Austin is IR (ACL) and is not a 2026 fantasy option. Nabers is on the active 53 list but day-to-day with the knee recovery. Likely is a Sharp Top 15 tight-end target replacing Bellinger who also left for Tennessee.

On the ground, Cam Skattebo remains the central figure after leading the backfield in fantasy efficiency last season. The departure of key offensive linemen and the addition of Patrick Ricard as a fullback suggest a continued commitment to a physical running style, though the overall offensive line changes may impact consistency. Fantasy managers should view Skattebo as the listed lead, with Tracy, Najee Harris, and Singletary in the 2026 committee. The combination of a revamped receiving group and a deeper four-back committee provides multiple avenues for fantasy production, with Dart and Skattebo serving as the foundational pieces for any Giants-focused lineup.

Inside Scoop

Sharp assigns the New York Giants a C grade for Penalties & Discipline, giving them a middle-of-the-pack mark in that specific area entering 2026. Separately, Sharp forecasts 7.5 wins as the franchise tries to stabilize after years of dysfunction. John Harbaugh now takes over a head coaching position Sharp ranks 15th league-wide, while the roster presents a familiar imbalance between a potentially disruptive Front 7 and a Secondary that ranks 28th.

The schedule adds another layer of difficulty. Sharp ranks New York 23rd in strength of schedule, which corresponds to the tenth-hardest slate on a scale where No. 32 is the most difficult. The Giants are underdogs in 12 of 17 games with an average spread of +2.0, reinforcing the idea that they will have little margin for error.

Roster turnover has been substantial. Dexter Lawrence was traded to Cincinnati, Cordale Flott left for Tennessee, and Russell Wilson is no longer in the quarterback room. Bobby Okereke, Daniel Bellinger, Dane Belton, and Wan'Dale Robinson are also among the notable departures. New York countered with additions including Isaiah Likely, Tremaine Edmunds, Greg Newsome II, D.J. Reader, Darnell Mooney, Odell Beckham Jr., Najee Harris, C.J. Okoye, Shelby Harris, Jordan Stout, Dominic Zvada, and Patrick Ricard. Calvin Austin III is on season-ending injured reserve.

Sharp’s 7.5-win forecast ultimately depends on whether those additions can produce enough immediate impact to offset the turnover, particularly against a difficult schedule and with the Secondary still graded as one of the weaker units in the league. The Front 7 gives New York a path to creating disruptive plays, but the offense and coverage units will need to provide more consistency if the Giants are going to outperform that projection.

---

Warren Sharp's 2026 Football Preview served as a research guide for this team preview. Hacking DFS tables, player-level analysis and fantasy metrics are independently calculated from the data sources noted above. Please support Sharp's work by purchasing the full preview for his complete team analysis. Verify against the latest market before betting.