Steal or Reach? The Shocking Metric That Proves the Giants Didn’t Overpay for Malachi Fields

Some believe the Giants overpaid to get Notre Dame’s Malachi Fields. But new trade-value data suggests the 6-foot-4 X-receiver was actually a bargain.

Feb 27, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Notre Dame wideout Malachi Fields (WO20) speaks to members of the media during the NFL Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. | Jacob Musselman-Imagn Images

The New York Giants have surrounded Jaxson Dart with a plethora of pass-catching options, but before the NFL Draft, this team did not have a long-term No. 2 wide receiver option.

Downfield threat Darnell Mooney and shifty slot guy Calvin Austin III could be wearing new uniforms next season after signing one-year contracts. Darius Slayton has adequately served the secondary WR role in the past, but he has regressed. 

The injury-ravaged and aging Odell Beckham Jr. would probably be little more than a people-pleasing nostalgia act at this point.

So, New York turned to the draft to find a promising player to pair with No. 1 WR Malik Nabers for the foreseeable future. The Giants traded back into the third round to select Notre Dame's Malachi Fields with the No. 74 pick, sending the No. 105 and No. 145 selections as well as a 2027 fourth-rounder to the Cleveland Browns.

The move raised eyebrows around the football-watching world, as people questioned the organization's decision to sacrifice one of next year's picks. However, recent data might disprove the notion that Big Blue overpaid for the 6-foot-4 prospect.

Actually, the team may have gotten a bargain, according to new research from NFL analytics researcher Anthony Reinhard of StatButler.com, who illustrated that the Giants paid 11.6% less for Fields than other teams who have made similar past trades.

When the Giants moved up for Malachi Fields, they paid 11.6% less than teams have paid in the past for similar trades. pic.twitter.com/FrBlOS0go8

— Anthony Reinhard (@reinhardNFL) April 25, 2026

Malachi Fields can boost the NY Giants' aerial attack

The Giants have been taking some heat for trading up, but this piece of information might put the move in a different light for some fans. The Miami Dolphins were said to be eyeing Fields at No. 75, so if New York truly coveted him, then general manager Joe Schoen was smart to act.

There is obviously a chance the 22-year-old native of Charlottesville, Virginia, underwhelms in the NFL, but the Giants have to take chances. Their WR group contains too many uncertainties. Fields could significantly upgrade the offense if he pans out.

And there are multiple reasons to believe he will pan out. Malachi Fields received limited pass-catching volume in Notre Dame's run-heavy offense, totaling 36 receptions for 630 yards and five touchdowns. He made his opportunities count, however.

The 2024 Third-Team All-ACC selection served a bigger role during his time with the Virginia Cavaliers. He recorded 113 catches for 1,619 yards and 10 touchdowns from 2023-24. Refreshingly, Fields tallied a 16.4 average depth of target and committed only one drop last season, per Pro Football Focus.

An unquestioned X receiver with dependable hands? He sounds like a perfect addition for the Giants. Now, he must prove it.

Like any prospect who is acquired via trade, Fields will face pressure to produce relatively quickly. New York will focus on his development, though, and do what it can to cement him as Malik Nabers' running mate.

This trade will be revisited down the road.

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