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Giants Draft Pick Singled Out as NFL’s No. 1 ‘Under the Radar’ Rookie
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- Giants Draft Pick Singled Out as NFL’s No. 1 ‘Under the Radar’ Rookie
New York Giants wide receiver Malachi Fields. Getty
The New York Giants are hoping they have found a gem with Notre Dame wide receiver Malachi Fields in the 3rd round (No. 74 overall) of the 2026 NFL Draft.
With star wide receiver Malik Nabers coming off a catastrophic knee injury and last year's leading wide receiver, Wan'Dale Robinson, off to the Tennessee Titans in free agency, the Giants might need Fields to stay afloat this year.
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ESPN's Matt Bowen singled out Fields as the NFL's No. 1 "Under the Radar" rookie headed into the regular-season opener against the Dallas Cowboys on September 13.
"Fields has the physical profile at 6-foot-4, 218 pounds to win one-on-one targets as the boundary X receiver," Bowen wrote on September 5. "Plus, the third-rounder can get the ball on deep in-breakers and underneath throws. Fields is pushing for the No. 2 role in New York, and his skill set should complement that of WR1 Malik Nabers."
Malachi Fields Has Size, Speed of NFL WR
Fields played the 1st 4 seasons of his college career at Virginia, where he was a 2-time All-ACC pick in 2023 and 2024 with consecutive 800-yard receiving seasons.
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His numbers took a slight dip at Notre Dame in 2025, with 63 receptions for 630 yards and 5 touchdowns, but you can. make an argument that Fields got screwed out of playing another 1-2 games after the Irish were left out of the College Football Playoff.
NFL Draft analyst Lance Zierlein correctly predicted Fields would be a 3rd-round pick and compared him to Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr., who had a pair of 1,000-yard seasons with the Indianapolis Colts.
"Boundary 'X' receiver who uses elite size and strength to bully defensive backs," Zierlein wrote in his pre-draft evaluation. "Notre Dame's run-heavy approach and quarterback play slowed Fields' production somewhat but his tape was filled with impressive moments. He's best suited for an offense that allows him to get from Point A to Point B while using his frame/ball skills to dominate the work space and win in the air. He can be a slow starter versus press and lives on contested targets, but he moves the chains on tight-window throws and consistently tilts 50/50 balls in his direction outside the numbers. Fields might never be a star, but his traits, playing style and ball skills should make him a productive WR2 in time."
Malik Nabers' Mystery: Will He Play Week 1?
The most encouraging sign for Nabers came on Monday, when head coach John Harbaugh told the assembled media, "It's reasonable to assume" that Nabers will play in the season opener barring any setbacks with his surgically repaired knee.
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Nabers had 109 receptions for 1,204 yards and 7 touchdowns in 15 games as a rookie in 2024 but tore his ACL just 4 games into the 2025 regular season.
The Giants host the Cowboys for a primetime Sunday Night Football game in Week 1.
"John Harbaugh isn't ready to make any blanket statements on Malik Nabers for Week 1. But he did say … he's trending towards being ready for the Cowboys ," ESPN's Jordan Raanan wrote on his official X account.
"Another step for Malik Nabers and the Giants : He shed the red jersey and took part in 7-on-7 & 11-on-11," The New York Post's Connor Hughes wrote on his official X account. "He wasn't full (worked in for reps), but a step in right direction. He made a nice grab diving back for the ball on an intermediate route/curl. The Giants were without pads today, so not full contact in that sense, but a "contact" day for Nabers. Again … Week 1 looks good."
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