Jan 5, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers (1) celebrates his 45-yard touchdown catch against the Philadelphia Eagles during the fourth quarter at Lincoln Financial Field. Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Giants’ WR Malik Nabers: If I'm Open and Not Getting the Pill, We've Got a Problem

Originally posted on New York Giants on SI
By Patricia Traina | Last updated May 2, 2025 12:00 PM ET

If there’s one thing New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers wants more than anything else when it comes to football, it’s to win.

And if the Giants are to accomplish that, Nabers, who is starting his second year as a pro after a stellar rookie campaign in which the Pro Bowler also earned NFL All-Rookie Team Honors and finished in the top seven league-wide in receptions (109, fifth), receiving yards (1,204, seventh), and yards per touch (10.6, fourth), wants the ball as much as possible.

"I ain't gonna speak on all receivers, but I’m gonna speak on (for all receivers). … We all feel the same way. We don’t like not getting the ball. ," Nabers said on the 7PM in Brooklyn podcast with Carmelo Anthony.

"You told me I was going to get the ball. I'm getting open, and I'm not getting that pill, we've got a problem.”

There is no question that the Giants would love to get the ball to Nabers as much as possible, and they tried to do so last year. Nabers was targeted at least 10 times in nine of the 15 games he played.

Despite the unsteady quarterback play last season, Nabers was the most frequently targeted Giants receiver (165), finishing with a 66.1% reception rate, second on the team behind Wan’Dale Robinson (70.5%), who served as more of a shorter-range receiver.

Nabers also led the Giants’ receivers in yards after catch with a 4.4 average. But if one thing marred his otherwise impressive rookie campaign, the eight drops he had also led to the Giants.

The good news for Nabers is that the Giants now appear to have better quarterback play in the form of projected starter Russell Wilson, a deep ball specialist, backup Jameis Winston, and rookie Jaxson Dart.

If the Giants can devise schemes to prevent NAbers from becoming a regular target for double-team coverage, there’s no reason to think that the former LSU standout can’t top his impressive rookie numbers.

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