The New York Giants have announced that J.J. McCarthy will start Sunday’s Week 7 matchup against the Houston Texans. Acquired from the Vikings just a few weeks ago, the third-year quarterback threw for 243 yards in just over 11 minutes against the Saints in Week 6, picking apart soft coverage and nearly engineering a comeback after replacing Jameis Winston in the fourth quarter. Winston will serve as McCarthy’s backup, with Jake Haener third on the depth chart.
The Giants enter Sunday as 10-point road underdogs with a league-low implied team total of roughly 16 points. However, Houston’s defense has been a pass funnel, allowing the sixth-most passing yards while holding opposing running backs to just 3.4 yards per carry. This doesn’t look like the matchup where John Harbaugh will get his ground game going. Expect McCarthy to air it out, particularly to Malik Nabers and Isaiah Likely, who commanded over 60% of the Giants’ targets in Week 6, combining for 18 receptions and 264 yards. That concentrated volume should keep both players firmly in fantasy starting lineups despite the Giants’ bleak scoring outlook, while the remaining Giants pass catchers can be left on benches.
New York Giants wide receiver Darnell Mooney is getting ...
New York Giants wide receiver Darnell Mooney will be ...
Veteran wide receiver Darnell Mooney signed a one-year deal...
Dart was hurt on the Giants’ opening drive during Sunday night’s game against the Rams, and after initial reports sounded optimistic he may return later in the year, it appears as though his 2026 season is finished. Despite the disappointing finish, Dart finished his sophomore campaign seventh in true completion percentage (76.5%), ninth in pressured completion percentage (57.1%), and 8th in true passer rating (113.6), all improvements over his 2025 rookie campaign.
For fantasy football managers that are invested in the Giants, it will be the Jameis Winston show for the foreseeable future. Winston struggled in relief, finishing 11-of-27 for 111 yards and an interception. With him under center, Darnell Mooney led the team with 48 receiving yards, while Isaiah Likely paced the offense with 10 targets. Top receiver Malik Nabers also gutted through a shoulder injury after briefly exiting, though he finished with just one catch for one yard.
Duggan notes that Malik Nabers said he feels confident overall, but a game is different and he wants to make sure he’s not rushing. Nabers has been a full participant in practice the past two days so there is still some optimism he will play in Sunday’s Week 1 tilt vs. the division-rival Dallas Cowboys.
This is not the first time Nabers has tried to temper optimism about his readiness in recent weeks, but we should know more about his status the closer we get to Sunday. Nabers is ranked No. 27 in PlayerProfiler’s Week 1 WR rankings based on the uncertainty of his status – even if he does play, he could be on a snap count. If he does play without any snap count, Nabers showed in 2024 as the No. 1 WR in target share in the NFL on his way to finishing as WR6 that he is one of the elite WR’s in the NFL.
Malik Nabers practiced in full Wednesday as the Giants prepare for Sunday night’s season opener against the Dallas Cowboys. Head coach John Harbaugh said Nabers is trending towards being ready to play but stopped short of officially confirming his status for Sunday. Nabers is returning from the torn ACL and meniscus injury that ended his 2025 season.
If cleared, Nabers should immediately step back into his role as the Giants’ No. 1 receiving option and carries significant fantasy upside in his return. He will join Darnell Mooney, Malachi Fields, and Odell Beckham Jr. to handle the receiving workload along with offseason signing Isaiah Likely.
The rookie caught all three of his targets for 34 yards in the preseason opener against Minnesota, and The Athletic’s Dan Duggan says the performance strengthened his push for the WR2 job. Fields also found the end zone on a touchdown from Jaxson Dart, adding even more fuel to the hype surrounding their developing connection. He’s still battling for first team snaps, but his strong camp has firmly put him on the fantasy radar.
The overall fantasy ceiling may be limited when Malik Nabers is healthy, but Fields is becoming a name to stash. If he wins the WR2 job, his value could skyrocket fast.
The New York Giants traded up to pick No. 74 for Malachi Fields, bringing a 6-foot-4 frame and an expansive Catch Radius to complement Malik Nabers. Beat reporters note the coaching staff is impressed with his contested-catch profile, but third-round wideouts, especially those who win outside, rarely command high Target Share in Year 1.
Expect Fields to function as a rotational red-zone weapon rather than a dependable fantasy asset in his rookie season. Success in camp as a rookie points the arrow up more in dynasty than redraft leagues. Fields checks in as PlayerProfiler’s WR74 in dynasty formats.
