Malik Nabers is the NFL’s next bizarre wide receiver

Anyone want to guess who leads the NFL in targets and target share over the last three games this season?

That’s right, New York Giants rookie wideout Malik Nabers. Nabers has a 38% target share through three weeks and has 37 targets, both tops in the NFL, for a Giants team that knows Nabers is their most consistent and explosive offensive weapon. Remember back in high school playing on that team with the one kid who went on to play high-tier college football? Yep, that’s Nabers on the Giants offense. His skillset was on full display in the Giants’ win over the Cleveland Browns, catching eight passes for 78 yards and two touchdowns and giving New York something to believe in for the first time since Spider-Man was swinging through town. Let’s take a look at what makes him so special and what stood out on Sunday.

The first thing you notice on film when you watch Nabers is his burst and acceleration. His speed is a legitimate threat, but it’s what he does when he first gets the ball or when he first gets into space that is so special. New York runs Nabers a wide variety of routes, but it’s these speed hitters that really showcase his special burst with the ball in his hands. Look at what he does at the top of the screen against Martin Emerson. He starts off slow, but then takes a vertical step to Emerson’s outside shoulder as if he’s running a go route, and then shoots right back across his face on a slant route. He’s created the separation, but when he gets the ball in his hands, he makes a quick turn and bursts 12 yards up the field. That quick turn is what’s exciting, he takes an easy gain and makes it explosive.

The Giants got Nabers involved in every way possible against Cleveland, using him on jet sweeps and setting him up for free releases. I thought this was a smart move by the Giants to get Nabers in space. Nabers is the receiver on the bottom of the screen with a tight end to his left. New York moves RB Tyrone Tracy Jr all the way across the formation to Nabers’ side, not only to confirm whether it’s man or zone, but also gives Nabers a nice cushion to work with and a created hole in the zone to just sit in. Nabers catches this ball and watch the burst with the ball again. He’s a big play waiting to happen.

New York even had Nabers in the slot against CB Greg Newsome. That was such a beautiful route, with that tempo and that burst again to fly by Newsome. This ball is thrown a little better, we’re looking at a three touchdown day for the rook, incredibly impressive.

None of those plays excite me the most, though. It’s this one on Emerson early in the game. Isolated situation, Nabers runs a vertical route. Not only does he win the catch, but he goes up and grabs it, stealing the ball from Emerson. For a guy his size (6’0, 200 lbs) this is top of the line stuff. Ja’Marr Chase is so good because he wins in these isolation situations despite being a smaller receiver, and that’s the same kind of stuff I see from Nabers. What a grab.

Nabers’ body control was on full display on the two touchdown passes, another taste of what this kid can be at this level. Not only is he such a fast and explosive receiver, he can also slow down and contort his body in the red zone to make those tough catches look easy. I mean… wow.

As Nabers continues to play more games, I’m curious to see how Giants head coach Brian Daboll and the offense continue to figure out touches for him. Getting him involved in jet sweeps is one way, as is getting him moving, as he did in the season opener against Minnesota (Nabers is tied with Chiefs receiver Rashee Rice for second in the NFL in targets when he’s put on the move, trailing only Rams wideout Cooper Kupp). With a big Thursday night game against the Cowboys on the schedule, getting Nabers involved should be a top priority for the Giants.