5 Giants With the Most to Prove in Preseason Game 2 vs. Dolphins

The New York Giants, fresh off a joint practice with the Miami Dolphins, have inched another step closer to ironing out which of their 90 current players will earn the nod to advance to the 53-man squad for the 2026 season.

And while head coach John Harbaugh has not disclosed his plans for who will play in Saturday’s game, there will be more than a handful of guys who are carrying greater chips on their shoulders as they seek to show Harbaugh that they have made significant strides since their Week 1 preseason showing.

Linebacker Micah McFadden

Making his first return to the gridiron since injuring his foot in the 2025 season opener against Washington, Micah McFadden's first preseason workload was far from impressive.

McFadden got the starting nod alongside rookie Arvell Reese against the Vikings, but it was the veteran who had a tough time getting back into his old groove as a run tackler.

He played in 13 snaps and caught attention for two badly whiffed tackles that led to huge ground gains for Minnesota's opening drive of the game.

McFadden finished with the Giants' second-lowest run defense grade of 34.4 and the worst grade in the entire inside linebacker room. With rookie sixth-round pick Jack Kelly having had a better night, McFadden will want to keep

Cornerback Deonte Banks

Cornerback Deonte Banks has been a frequent subject of criticism for the last couple of seasons, but most of the dissent came in 2025 when he was arguably the worst third-level defender for New York.

Last season, he posted a career-worst 149.7 passer rating when targeted, along with four touchdowns allowed and seven penalties.

The Giants have given Banks several chances to get his coverage skills in check. Last week, Banks was one of the starting outside cornerbacks, and while he allowed only one reception for 2 yards during his reps, he was hit with two yellow flags that cost his team important yards and helped the Vikings get into scoring position.

Banks has competed for a starting job, but he has to be more consistent in carrying his otherwise solid practice sessions into live reps in games.

Center Bryan Hudson

Heading into the 2026 season, the one area where the Giants might be worried about their offensive line is the center position.

Incumbent starter John Michael Schmitz suffered a concussion right before the preseason slate opened, and veteran backup Lucas Patrick has had knee issues as well.

That has opened the door for young center Bryan Hudson to move up the depth chart. The undrafted rookie from Louisville earned the bulk of the starting reps last Saturday against Minnesota and looked fairly strong, allowing no pressures and scoring a 69.4 grade as a run blocker.

Of course, that workload was largely against the Vikings' backups and third-stringers, but Hudson could be in for a tougher challenge this week if the Dolphins give their starting defense some more reps.

If Hudson can once again hold his own and provide the Giants offense with good protection up front, it could help the franchise breathe easier with the possibility of having to run out with a novice at a key position in Week 1.

Running Back Tyrone Tracy Jr.

While Tyrone Tracy Jr. has been an honorable contributor to the Giants' offense with his dual-threat capabilities, he didn’t do himself any favors last week when he missed a critical blitz pickup against the Vikings–one of two on the night–that resulted in quarterback Jaxson Dart getting flattened.

On the ground, Tracy wasn't much of a factor either, posting just two carries for 5 yards. His poor pass protection resulted in a 5.9 PFF pass blocking grade.

No coach is going to play a running back who cannot pass-protect, and unfortunately for Tracy, this has not been a strong suit in his game, though last season his pass-blocking grade rose from 35.1 as a rookie to 45.5.

Still, he has now allowed 12 pressures in 136 regular-season career pass-blocking snaps.

While an argument can be made that he’s still learning the finer points of playing the position after spending the bulk of his career as a receiver, Harbaugh doesn’t strike one as the kind to be patient where the health of his starting quarterback is concerned.

Defensive Lineman Darius Alexander

New York Giants defensive tackle Darius Alexander | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Giants expect big things from Darius Alexander, their third-round pick in 2025, who is trying to nail down a starting job on the team’s revamped defensive line.

After a solid showing in the spring and summer, Alexander didn't put forth a great showing in the Giants' preseason opener. He finished with the third-lowest run defense grade among the unit.

He was literally a non-factor in containing the Vikings' ground game, which tallied 111 yards and averaged 4.1 yards per carry against New York's defense.

Alexander was able to secure a sack later on in the contest. Still, the more important aspect of his impact is waiting to be found in the trenches, where the Giants lost an All-Pro, behemoth-sized weapon in Dexter Lawrence II.

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