Giants Land at No. 21 in Preseason Power Rankings — Here's Why One Analyst Isn't Buying the Hype

The New York Giants have built up enough momentum to raise hope that they will finally be able to climb out of the NFC East cellar, and yet, some analysts aren’t convinced that the arrow is pointing up.

One such analyst is Ralph Vacchiano of FOX Sports, who in his preseason NFL power rankings put the Giants 21st, two spots down from their previous ranking.

“The good news is RB Cam Skattebo is healthy enough to do backflips,” Vacchiano noted. “But WR Malik Nabers’ return from a knee injury isn’t as clear. No one wants to give a timetable or talk about Week 1, which is usually a bad sign.”

Injury concerns are understandable. The Giants' roster is still relatively top-heavy, especially on offense.

If Nabers isn’t ready for Week 1, that potentially changes the outlook for the offense since they don’t have another receiver on the roster capable of delivering the impact the third-year pro out of LSU can bring.

However, Nabers is coming off a stretch in which he was able to get some practice reps in three out of the first four training camp practices.

The goal is for him to increase his workload each day ultimately, but it’s also expected that he’ll get days off, at least early on, to avoid pushing him too much too soon.

The Giants Have Been Gifted Underdog Status at the Perfect Time

Jul 30, 2026; White Sulphur Springs, WV, USA; New York Giants players huddle up during training camp at The Greenbrier Resort Sports Performance Center. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Not that the Giants pay attention to power ranking polls, but one thing they have done, at least historically, is rise to the occasion, such as what happened in both of their Super Bowl-winning seasons when they were not a top-10 favorite in either season to go all the way.

Recently it’s been a different story as the Giants have, unfortunately, played to the underdog level, at times even looking like they don’t belong on the same field as their opponents.

It's hard to blame analysts like Vacchiano for doubting an immediate turnaround for New York in 2026. The Giants have just seven wins over the last two seasons and have posted one winning season in the last nine years. Losing has become an outside expectation among the critics.

But head coach John Harbaugh's arrival brings the culture shift needed to pull Big Blue out of the bottom of the division. Harbaugh has already made it clear that he intends to take the Giants to the playoffs in his first season in charge.

The head coach's practice intensity and high standards will produce a more buttoned-up team than what fans have become accustomed to. So too will breakout seasons from quarterback Jaxson Dart and linebacker Abdul Carter.

Dart has the pieces around him to succeed after dealing with a depleted group of weapons and a less-than-ideal coaching situation as a rookie. A modest jump in Carter’s pressure-to-sack conversion rate (he had 66 last season) is all that separates him from becoming one of the league's top pass rushers.

The Giants, per DraftKings, currently rank 23rd in Super Bowl odds and have an over/under win total of 7.5. This "underdog" standing gives Harbaugh's team perfect motivation to prove everyone who has doubted them wrong.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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