ESPN Ranks the Giants' Skill Position Group 31st — Here's Why That May Be Too Low

In his recent ranking of all 32 teams’ skill position groups (running backs, receivers, and tight ends), ESPN’s Bill Barnwell put the New York Giants 31st in the league, a five-spot drop from last year.

The main reasons for the decline in the rankings, according to Barnwell, included receiver Malik Nabers’ ongoing recovery from a torn ACL and running back Cam Skattebo’s below-average pre-injury metrics in yards per carry, success rate, and explosive plays.

“If Nabers isn't ready to be the guy,” Barnwell noted of his biggest concern regarding the Giants’ playmakers, “the Giants are going to struggle to find receivers for (quarterback) Jaxson Dart.”

Giants Can Prove Doubters Wrong in 2026

New York Giants running back Cam Skattebo | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

While New York's skill players may not be considered some of the league's best at this moment, they have a chance to change the narrative in 2026. Skattebo, Nabers, and Likely could all be in for big years under John Harbaugh.

Skattebo has already made his expectations for his second season clear, setting a personal season goal of 2,000 rushing yards.

While that may be an unrealistic mark for a guy who is going to be part of a committee, if Harbaugh’s Giants follow what his old Ravens teams have done in the past, the running game figures to play a more prominent role for the Giants starting this season.

Harbaugh's Ravens led the NFL in rushing percentage in 2025 (52.05%), the only team in the league to run the ball on more than half of their offensive plays. With the additions of players like fullback Patrick Ricard and offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa, the Giants are looking to run a more power-type of ground game.

Nabers’s status for Week 1 remains 50-50, but once he does return and ramps up, there is no reason to think he won’t be able to match his rookie season production. While his pre-injury stats in 2025 were slightly discouraging, he still averaged 2.02 yards per route run.

Likely has the biggest jump to make of the three, as he's taking on a larger role for the first time in his NFL career. He played second fiddle to Mark Andrews while in Baltimore, but the Giants are counting on him to take on a more prominent role in the offense.

If, as Barnwell noted, the Giants have the talent to have been ranked higher were it not for the injury factor, there is no reason to believe that a full return to health by Nabers, combined with a revamped offensive scheme that plays more into the strengths of the skill position players, will set them up for greater success—and a higher ranking—by season’s end.

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