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Giants' 2 Standouts From Preseason Opener are Blatantly Obvious
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- Giants' 2 Standouts From Preseason Opener are Blatantly Obvious
The New York Giants dropped their preseason opener to the Minnesota Vikings , 13-10, at MetLife Stadium on Saturday.
Outside of Jaxson Dart briefly getting the wind knocked out of him and James Winston missing a streaking Odell Beckham Jr. for what would have been a touchdown down the seam, the contest was mostly uneventful.
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So, who were the standouts for the Giants in the affair? Two players immediately jumped off the page.
Malachi Fields , WR
New York selected Malachi Fields in the third round of the NFL Draft back in April, trading up to acquire him.
The move was largely applauded at the time, although most weren't sure if the Notre Dame product would actually see the field all that much during his rookie campaign.
Well, it looks like everyone may have been wrong.
Fields is making a serious case for the No. 2 wide receiver role behind Malik Nabers . He has been getting plenty of reps with the starters in training camp, and he was utilized quite a bit against the Vikings.
New York Giants wide receiver Malachi Fields. Credit: USA TODAY Network.
Fields logged three catches for 34 yards, including a touchdown grab in which he utilized his 6-foot-4 frame to come down with a beautifully thrown lob to the end zone by Dart.
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The 22-year-old was very impressive on the afternoon and could end up being a key cog in the Giants' offense this fall.
Darius Alexander , DT
When New York traded away Dexter Lawrence just before the draft, everyone wondered exactly what Big Blue would do on the interior.
The Giants responded by signing veterans DJ Reader, Shelby Harris and Leki Fotu , and they also nabbed Bobby Jamison-Travis on Day 3 of the draft.
But in the midst of all of New York's shuffling at defensive tackle, one player was largely forgotten : Darius Alexander.
The Giants took Alexander in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, and at the time, the decision was generally viewed as a coup.
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However, the Toledo alum struggled during his rookie campaign and didn't really show flashes of potential until late in the season.
Well, Alexander is now under the microscope heading into 2026, and he has responded by having a strong camp and a very notable preseason performance.
Alexander remained in the game well into the second half and recorded a couple of tackles and a sack on the day, making a clear impact in the trenches.
New York still clearly has hope for Alexander, who may see a significant uptick in snaps this year with Lawrence no longer in tow.
