Giants Skill Position Players: 2016 vs. 2025?

Before general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll took control of the New York Giants and led the team to the playoffs, the team had endured a six-year playoff drought.

Since 2016, the roster has undergone a complete overhaul, as some legendary names have departed from the Giants' roster. The team has no players remaining from that roster.

But that's not the point of this exercise. An Instagram graphic by Pickinem laid out the Giant's skill position players from 2016 and the 2025 squad. Which group was better?

Quarterback: 2016

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (10) waves to the fans as he exits the field at MetLife Stadium for possibly the last time in his career. The Eagles defeat the Giants, 34-17, on Sunday, Dec. 29, 2019, in East Rutherford. | Danielle Parhizkaran/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This is almost unfair, considering the Giants still had Eli Manning on the roster in 2016, a quarterback who had only begun to enter the downward slide in his career. In terms of the choices, Manning trumps rookie Jaxson Dart, who has yet to take a snap at this level.

Had the choice been Russell Wilson, that might have made the discussion more interesting. We would have still picked Manning only because Wilson, while still a very good player who upgraded the quarterback room from where it was a year ago, is now on his third team in as many years.

Running Back: 2025

New York Giants running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. (29) runs downfield for a touchdown during a game between New York Giants and Indianapolis Colts at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, Dec. 29, 2024. | Julian Leshay Guadalupe/NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Rashad Jennings was the lead back for the Giants in the 2016 season, his third with the team. In his first two seasons, Jennings amassed 1,500 yards and seven touchdowns.

He recorded his lowest rushing output since joining the team with 593 yards and three touchdowns and averaged just 3.3 yards per carry while appearing in just 13 games due to injury. The 2016 would mark his last season with the Giants and his last in the league.

On the other hand, Tyrone Tracy Jr. was one of the bright spots of the Giants' offense this season, amassing 1,000 scrimmage yards and six total touchdowns in his rookie season.

Even behind a depleted offensive line, Tracy averaged 4.4 yards per carry and ranked third amongst rookies in rushing yards. He should be the Giants lead back heading into next season and is already more productive than Jennings ever was during his stint in New York.

Wide Receiver 1: 2016

Nov 18, 2018; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13) runs for a 1st down against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 1st quarter at MetLife Stadium. | Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

LSU products lead both Giants receiving corps. The first was Odell Beckham Jr., who was selected in the first round (No. 12 overall) of the 2014 NFL Draft. The other was Malik Nabers, who was drafted No. 6 overall in 2024.

Beckham was a fan favorite throughout his first two seasons and was among the league's top receivers in 2016. He finished third in the league in receptions (101) and yards (1,367) and fifth in the league in receiving touchdowns (10).

Nabers had similar success in his rookie season despite playing quarterback inconsistently. He recorded 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns on 108 catches, the most receptions in a single season in Giants franchise history.

Nabers had the better single season, as he appeared in one fewer game and generated similar statistics to Beckham.

However, Nabers has to replicate his production for another season before I feel comfortable taking him over Beckham, who ranks second in receiving yards and fourth in receptions in Giants history.

Wide Receiver 2: 2016

Jan 7, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Sterling Shepard (3) enters the field during introductions the field before the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at MetLife Stadium. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Darius Slayton has led the team in receiving yards four times in six seasons since entering the league in 2019. However, he caught just 39 receptions, 573 yards, and two touchdowns last season. He has also struggled with drops in his career with 28.

Meanwhile, Shepard had 17 drops through six seasons with the Giants. During his rookie year in 2016, Shepard burst onto the scene with 65 receptions for 653 yards and a career-high eight touchdowns.

Shepard is ahead of Slayton in every category in Giants franchise history. He was also a more dependable receiver during his time in New York.

Wide Receiver 3: 2025

Dec 22, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Victor Cruz was once the Giants' top receiver after a breakout 2011 season in which Cruz helped the Giants win a Super Bowl by recording a touchdown in their victory. However, in 2016, he was returning from an ACL injury in 2014, which forced him to miss the entire 2015 season.

By 2016, Cruz was a shell of his former self, recording only 39 receptions for 589 yards and a touchdown.

Like Cruz, Wan'Dale Robinson has missed games due to an ACL injury. Still, Robinson was able to return and gradually improve throughout his career.

Last season, he recorded career-highs in catches (93), yards (699), and touchdowns (three). His 93 catches are the most in Giants history by a player who has not led the team in receptions since 2018.

Robinson is one of the most underrated slot receivers in the league, and forces missed tackles at a high rate. He led Giants' wideouts in missed tackles forced (20) and was second in the league in contested catch rate (58.6%).

Tight end: 2025

Nov 24, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants tight end Theo Johnson (84) fights of a tackle by Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Jordan Whitehead (3) during the first half at MetLife Stadium. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

After breaking out in 2015 with 464 yards and three touchdowns, Will Tye saw his numbers go down across the board the following season. He recorded just 395 yards and one touchdown. Tye signed with the Jets in free agency the next offseason, marking the end of his Giants tenure.

Theo Johnson, the Giants' 2024 fifth-round selection, showed promise in his rookie season and has more upside than Tye. Johnson caught 29 passes for 331 yards and a touchdown in his rookie season.

Final Results

The 2025 skill group edged out the 2016 roster, going 3-2 in head-to-head matchups. In total, you could argue the 2025 skill group is just as good as a whole. Cruz was towards the twilight of his career, the team had virtually zero production from tight ends, and the rushing game was virtually non-existent.

Nabers could be just as good as Beckham, if not better, when his career is done. This year's unit should also get a boost with better quarterback play under Russell Wilson. Overall, I'd pick the 2025 group.

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