There is only one week left of preseason and the pieces within the teams are still in constant motion for both starters and substitutes. In this case, the figure of Malik Nabers has stood out, who comes from one of the best rookie seasons of all time in Fantasy Football as a wide receiver. His 109 receptions set a new record for a rookie in a single season among receivers, and his 1,204 receiving yards and 273.6 fantasy points are the eighth most all-time.
What makes his statistical achievements even more impressive is that he recorded these totals with a quartet of quarterbacks that included Daniel Jones (10 starts), Drew Lock (five starts), Tommy DeVito (two starts) and Tim Boyle. Jones, the starting QB, was cut during the regular season, but it didn’t matter. Nabers averaged 17.4 points with Jones at quarterback, 19.5 points with Lock at the helm and 18.3 points in games with DeVito and Boyle at the helm.
What are the projections for the 2025/26 season?
Based on his success as a rookie, Malik Nabers is projected to be selected in the first round of the 2025 draft, with an average position of 10.07 on the NFFC website. Ja’Marr Chase (1.14), Justin Jefferson (4.98), CeeDee Lamb (7.07) and Amon-Ra St. Brown (9.24) are the only receivers selected ahead of him in early summer drafts. However, what if Malik Nabers will finish as the overall WR1 in fantasy football in 2025?
It can easily be argued for several reasons, and I will do so right now. Let’s start with what the Giants did to improve the quarterback position. For the 2025 season, he will receive passes from an improved group of quarterbacks. The G-Men signed projected starter Russell Wilson, Jameis Winston and selected Jaxson Dart in the first round of the NFL Draft. Wilson may not be the same anymore, but he is still an effective passer than his 2024 predecessors.
How much can receivers contribute in Fantasy Football?
There is an interesting trend among wide receivers who have finished first in fantasy points over the last seven years. In that span, no receiver has been named the best fantasy football receiver two years in a row. The last player to accomplish this was Antonio Brown, who finished first in fantasy points for four consecutive years from 2014 to 2017. If we go back 14 more years to 2000, only three other wide receivers (Marvin Harrison – 2, Andre Johnson, Calvin Johnson) earned the consecutive top spot in fantasy football.
If this trend continues, Chase, after a spectacular season, will be dethroned as the best fantasy football receiver. And if we look at the historical data, he is likely to experience at least some regression. Chase, one of only three receivers to score 400 fantasy points in a single season during the Super Bowl era, faces a tough challenge to repeat that success. In 2023, Lamb scored 403.2 points as the league’s top fantasy wide receiver. That total dropped to 263.4 points last season.
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