Giants' Release Resets Late-Round Fantasy Draft Picks

Malachi Fields is a fantasy sleeper

Now that Brian Daboll is gone, the Giants have an opportunity to revamp their offense with a group of talented young skill players with a bunch of questions.

Malik Nabers leads the group, but he is coming back off an ACL tear. Mooney is slotted as WR2, but he only has one 1,000-yard season in his career, and while he came close with 992 yards in 2024 with the Falcons, Mooney only put up 443 yards last season in ATL.

Right now, ESPN has Malachi Fields as third on the Giants depth chart, just ahead of Odell Beckham Jr. Draft expert Matthew Berry believes it will be Fields, not Beckham, that benefits most from Slayton’s release.

“For those that have drafted, Malachi Fields should be a pick-up on Tuesday. For those drafting tonight/Tues he is very much worth a late round dart throw,¨Berry tweeted Monday.

SI’s Tom Carelli is also high on Fields operating in Matt Nagy’s offense. He has him as WR68, 10 spots ahead of Mooney at WR78.

Lindy’s Sports fantasy guru Tim Heaney has Fields 240th overall, 85th at wide receiver, but that was before Slayton’s release.

“The lowest-risk item is Fields. He is about a 2/5 on my risk scale. Fields’ role is even more solidified and less impacted by Slayton’s X-receiver ability. In fact, Fields went from the team’s WR4/5 all the way up to their sure-fire WR2 in the last six weeks of the Giants’ practice,” Carelli said.

How does Malachi Fields fit in Giants offense

Matt Naggy comes from the Andy Reid coaching tree, and like his mentor, he runs a version of the West Coast offense.

He mixes in option routes, misdirections, and RPOs to put pressure on opposing defenses.

At 6´4¨ and 218 lbs, Fields is built like the prototypical possession receiver every successful West Coast offensive scheme needs. His hands are way above average, and according to NFL Draft Buzz his “contested catch ability borders on absurd. He attacks the football at its peak, boxes out defensive backs with his frame, and rips the ball away from coverage like it belongs to him.”

Despite a crowded wide receiver room, Fields pushed for a starting job out the gate in training camp, according to local media reports.

According to his scouting report, Fields does struggle at times against press coverage. He can get jammed at the line, which throws off the specific timing routes inherent in the West Coast scheme.

But he also competes on every play and ¨carries himself with a captain’s mentality.