Giants Roster Projection 3.0: Where OBJ Stands After Preseason Game 1

So what did New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh learn about the team he’s assembling this summer?

“Lots of things. I mean, talking about 150, 200 plays, there's a lot of good things, a lot of things to correct,” he said on Sunday.

“All across the board, it would be hard to pinpoint any one thing for sure, but I would say the effort, just generally speaking. If there's one thing that would be more general, it would be just the effort, the attitude, the determination to try to do well. That was out there for sure, so I was happy with that. It was a good first step.”

The game also began to provide some clarity on how the initial 53-man roster will look, barring injuries.

While we don’t know what Harbaugh is thinking in that regard, in this third iteration of a roster projection, we’ll update our prediction from our last rundown and share what we learned at each position group–the concerns, the positive developments, etc.--as the cutdown date draws closer.

Quarterbacks

Projection (2): Jaxson Dart, Jameis Winston

Ever notice how some players unintentionally get a target on their backs for one reason or another?

Well, given starting quarterback Jaxson Dart’s reputation for playing the game hard, Dart now has that reputation as being someone to watch regarding head injuries as he was sent to the medical tent for the sixth time since turning pro.

It’s not clear by now that third-string quarterback Brandon Allen is not the guy to carry on the practice squad for the long term.

It would be a surprise if the Giants do not carry a quarterback on the practice squad, especially if there are concerns about whether Dart can make it through a season unscathed given his play style.

Allen knows the system, but it’s fair to wonder if the Giants would be better off grabbing a younger quarterback to develop for the longer term.

Running Backs

Projection (3): Cam Skattebo, Tyrone Tracy, Jr., Devin Singletary

New York Giants quarterback Jameis Winston (19) and New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo (44) dance during warmups during a preseason opening game between the New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings on Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The depth at this spot remains unchanged from our last projection, but the new thing to watch is how reps are distributed moving forward.

Harbaugh was NOT happy with how the play in which Dart was flattened before being sent to the blue medical tent was blocked. And that play was blocked by Tyrone Tracy Jr., who has had more downs than ups when it comes to pass blocking.

Does this mean that Devin Singletary, who is by far the best of the three pass blockers among the team’s running backs from last year, get more reps moving forward?

Harbaugh, remember, has no known loyalty to any players who were brought on board before his arrival.

He’s already shown he’s not afraid to challenge guys who were premium draft picks or who have cushy contracts. What he’s interested in are guys who deliver the results on the field, which is how it should be.

Fullback

Projection (1): Patrick Ricard

As anticipated, the Giants ran a bunch of heavy personnel packages in the preseason opener, often with success, and Ricard, in limited snaps, was a big part of that. No surprise there, as that’s what was expected.

But what we learned is that the Giants might have Ricard's successor on the roster in the form of Grant Finley.

Finley played 10 run-blocking snaps at fullback in relief of Ricard, and he finished with a 52.2 run-blocking grade, which wasn’t too far off from Ricard’s 59.5 grade in half the number of run-blocking snaps.

Tight Ends (3)

Projection (3): Isaiah Likely, Theo Johnson, Chris Manhertz

Up until the game itself, Thomas Fidone II was starting to round into shape as a pass catcher, to the point where there may have been a fleeting thought or two that he might actually push for a roster spot.

Then came the game. Fidone didn’t come up with his lone pass target; his run blocking wasn’t anything to write home about.

He reminded people that, at least based on this first preseason showing, he might be a better fit for the practice squad, where he can make up the time lost in his development thanks to last year’s season-ending foot injury and the clean-up procedure he had to have in the spring, which cost him valuable reps.

Receivers

Aug 15, 2026; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Malachi Fields (0) celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings during the first half at MetLife Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Projection (7): Malik Nabers, Malachi Fields, Darnell Mooney, Darius Slayton, Calvin Austin III, Braxton Berrios, Dalen Cambre

Saturday’s game did very little to change the forecast at this spot, with one exception: I swapped out Odell Beckham Jr for Darnell Mooney. But hear me out before reacting.

In listening to Harbaugh speak about Beckham, and how he’s still unsure about what will happen, it’s hard to get the feeling that Beckham is a lock.

It’s not the receiver’s fault that his quarterbacks don’t see him when he’s open, and the argument about special teams? That can’t really stand up either, not with Darius Slayton, who also plays special teams, seemingly sliding down the depth chart at the position.

I still think the Giants need insurance just in case Malik Nabers isn’t completely ready to go sans restrictions for Week 1. Slayton has a little cleaner injury history than Beckham, which makes him a little more of a sure thing.

As for Beckham, I could see him landing on the practice squad because, you know, there will be injuries that pop up during the year. Being on the practice squad will allow him to continue rounding into optimal shape so that, come crunch time later in the year, he can rise to the occasion.

Then there is one other, albeit remote possibility. Might the Giants look to trade Slayton to a receiver-needy team (Miami and Buffalo come to mind)?

Any trade would almost certainly necessitate the Giants eating part of Slayton’s 2026 base salary to make it work.

Still, if he’s a guy who isn’t in the team’s long-term plans–and it’s hard to fathom that he is–why not see if you can get a conditional draft pick rather than flat-out cut him loose and get nothing in return?

Offensive Linemen

Projection (10): Andrew Thomas, Jon Runyan, John Michael Schmitz, Francis Mauigoa, Jermaine Eluemunor, Marcus Mbow, J.C. Davis, Bryan Hudson, Aaron Stinnie, Ryan Schernecke

A couple of changes here. The first is that I have Bryan Hudson making the team over Lucas Patrick, who has struggled with knee issues dating back to the spring.

Hudson acquitted himself well in his first extensive preseason game action, running the first-team offense without a hiccup and allowing no pressure.

And per his history, he delivered a solid showing in the running game. In 16 run-blocking snaps, he finished with a 69.4 run-blocking grade from PFF, the 13th-best run-blocking grade among all centers in Week 1 action.

Regarding the other change, I have the Giants keeping Ryan Schernecke over Daniel Faalele for the final spot.

Aaron Stinnie was a much better overall player than Faalele, who ranked 13th among 13 Giants offensive linemen and was the only one with a “Bluto Blutarsky” pass-blocking grade of 0.00.

If the argument is that Harbaugh is strictly going to roll with the best players at every position regardless of where they came from or what their contract earnings are, then the same argument should apply to former Ravens players whom Harbaugh brought with him to New York.

Defensive Linemen

Projection (6): D.J. Reader, Darius Alexander, Shelby Harris, Chauncey Golston, Bobby Jamison-Travis, Leki Fotu

I dropped the number of defensive linemen from seven to six so I could add to another position for special teams purposes.

That said, the Giants desperately need reinforcements on this unit. Rookie Bobby Jamison-Travis is raw, but promising. Leki Fotu was disappointing playing in place of D.J. Reader, who got the night off.

Keep an eye on who Seattle cuts, as they have an abundance of intriguing defensive line options that could interest the Giants.

Inside Linebackers

New York Giants line backer Arvell Reese (52) warms up during a preseason opening game between the New York Giants and Minnesota Vikings on Saturday, Aug. 15, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Projection (5): Arvell Reese, Tremaine Edmunds, Micah McFadden, Jack Kelly, Zaire Barnes

I added Barnes to the list because he had a solid showing not only on defense but also on special teams, the latter of which is his bread and butter. I suspect it’s a tight race between Barnes and Darius Muasau for a roster spot.

If the PFF grades are any indication, Muasau is ahead of Barnes by less than two points grade-wise when it comes to special teams, while Barnes is ahead of Muasau in defensive grades.

This is one of those competitions that looks like it’s going to come down to the wire.

Outside Linebackers

Projection (3): Brian Burns, Abdul Carter, Kayvon Thibodeaux

No changes here as far as the core three players (Burns, Carter, and Thibodeaux) are concerned. Three might seem a little light to carry, but the Giants can also get pass-rushing snaps from Arvell Reese and Chauncey Golston.

They still carry an extra outside linebacker on the practice squad, and a very early guess is that Caleb Murphy might have the edge over Trace Ford in that race just based on special teams play alone.

Safeties

Projection (4): Jevon Holland, Tyler Nubin, Jason Pinnock, Ar’Darius Washington

No change here regarding the core four. But what has changed is that there appears to be a competition for Tyler Nubin’s spot.

Saturday’s preseason game saw Jevon Holland be a healthy scratch, which would suggest that Holland is locked into a starting role. But in recent practices, Nubin has been pushed for his job by Jason Pinnock and Ar’Darius Washington.

To his credit, Nubin finished with the best coverage grade (87.2) among the safeties in the first preseason game, and it wasn’t even close. Pinnock wasn’t too far behind him, posting a 63.8 coverage grade, the third-best out of the seven safeties who played.

Given how Washington is more of a chess piece—he can play in the slot at safety and on the perimeter— it looks like Pinnock is probably the main competition Nubin has to fend off if he wants to keep his starting job.

Cornerbacks

Projection (6): Paulson Adebo, Greg Newsome II, Colton Hood, Dru Phillips, Deonte Banks, Art Green

The good news is that, per Harbaugh, the Giants are getting back some of their injured corners–Paulson Adebo (hamstring), Greg Newsome II (knee), and Dru Phillips (knee) have all missed practice time.

The bad news is that this position is also in need of an upgrade depth-wise. It’s worth noting that Adebo’s starting job does not appear to be safe. This means there is a possibility of the Giants having two new starting cornerbacks on the perimeter.

Adebo’s missed practice time with his injury hasn’t helped his situation, but he still has time to deliver a strong finish.

Specialists

Projection (3): Kicker Dominic Zvada, Long Snapper Ben Mann, Punter Jordan Stout

Although Zvada didn’t get a chance to kick in the preseason opener, it’s hard to envision that he isn’t in the lead for the job. Why? Look no further than Harbaugh’s answer when asked why he didn’t have Ben Sauls attempt a 62-yard field goal toward the end of the preseason opener.

“We thought it was too far into the wind there a little bit,” he said.

This isn’t to say that Harbaugh didn’t have confidence in Sauls to make the kick, but there will be times in NFL games where the game is on the line and a long-distance kick is required, wind or no wind.

One can’t help but wonder if it had been Zvada’s turn to kick—he’ll probably handle the kicking against Miami—would Harbaugh have felt differently, especially after Zvada hit a 62-yarder in practice last week.

Final Thoughts

Harbaugh said it best regarding the first preseason game. “We learned a lot, and we'll have plenty of corrections and encouragement to make it through the week, for sure. We can make a lot of progress by next week.”

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