3 Giants Wide Receivers ‘On the Bubble’ After Aggressive Day 2 Trade for Malachi Fields

The New York Giants entered the second day of the 2026 NFL Draft with just one pick to make at 37 overall, but ended up making a second selection late in the day.

With that trade, the Giants selected Notre Dame wide receiver Malachi Fields, a surprise to many, but our Nick Falato graded him as a second-round talent, which could make this pick a steal to some.

In order to move up from pick 105, when the Giants were supposed to pick, they sent picks 105 and 145 this year, as well as a fourth-round pick in next year’s draft, to the Browns.

The price for the trade-up was steep, as the Giants now have only three picks remaining on day three, all within the first 12 picks of the sixth round.

Between the investment to move up into the third round and the selection itself, it’s safe to assume that the Giants are very confident in Fields and his ability to contribute.

The Giants will eventually need to cut the roster before the season, and Fields will undoubtedly be on the active roster when it’s time, leaving some Giants vulnerable to losing their spots.

Isaiah Hodgins

Many Giants fans have grown to love Isaiah Hodgins as a player who has been consistent every time he’s on the field, regardless of quarterback or coach.

The addition of Malachi Fields makes Hodgins more expendable with a now younger X-receiver option in the mix.

Stylistically, Hodgins and Fields are similar players on the outside: tall, strong boundary receivers that win vertical and through contact while struggling to create separation consistently due to a lack of top speed.

Both will have their big moments when they body smaller defensive backs and remind you why these types of receivers are loved by the NFL. Still, there are only a limited number of roster spots, and the style is too inefficient to keep too many similar options.

Releasing Hodgins would also be a cap-friendly move for the Giants, as his release would create $1.1M in cap space with no dead cap penalty.

Beaux Collins

If your “type” of wide receiver is a tall wide receiver from Notre Dame with limited pass-catching production, then the Giants' wide receiver room is the place for you!

Beaux Collins was a training camp darling during the 2025 summer, but in the regular season, he managed just two catches for 25 yards on six targets.

As an undrafted free agent, expectations were low for Collins to ever contribute to the Giants, but that comes with a lower level of job security.

If the Giants choose to keep two pure X receivers on the roster and decide to keep the most experienced option, Hodgins, with their third-round pick, Fields, that leaves Collins as the odd man out.

Throughout the summer, Collins must know that he’s going to be competing every day for his spot on this Giants roster.

Jalin Hyatt

Through the first three seasons of his NFL career, wide receiver Jalin Hyat–the last receiver that the Giants traded up to acquire in the third round, by the way–has just 36 catches and 470 yards with no touchdowns, most of which came in his rookie year.

As he enters the final year of his rookie contract, with the likelihood that he will not be re-signed, there is little financial reason to keep Hyatt if he will not contribute on the field this year.

Speed on the outside doesn’t matter if you’re ineffective as a receiver, and to this point in his career, few Giants fans have even noticed when he’s on the field.

With a limited number of wide receiver spots available on the roster, Hyatt could be the odd man out regardless of his build or style, unlike Fields, Hodgins, and Collins.

Similar to Hodgins, releasing Hyatt would also create legitimate cap space, as moving on from Hyatt would yield $1.5M in total cap space with just $272K in dead cap.

Giants Have a New Look Receiver Room

Since head coach John Harbaugh’s arrival, the Giants have gradually shifted away from the smaller, shiftier receivers that the previous regime seemed to favor and have instead gravitated toward bigger and more physical passing game targets.

This aligns with Harbaugh’s desire to build a tougher and more competitive football team. The Giants last year accounted for 47.7% of their receiving yards after the catch, ranking them 16th in that category per PFF data.

But more notable is that the Giants receivers as a whole came down with 43.9% of their contested catch opportunities (Malink Nabers led the receivers in his abbreviated season with a 42.9% rate), while Harbaugh’s Ravens, using the bigger, more physical receiver formula, managed a 55.1% contested catch rate as a group.

It’s clear that times are changing under Harbaugh, and hopefully for the better when it comes to the offense’s passing game.

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