Giants WR Depth Chart Debate: Wan'Dale Robinson vs. Darius Slayton vs. Jalin Hyatt
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The New York Giants lost their top receiver in Malik Nabers. Nabers went out for the season Week 4 against the Los Angeles Chargers. Now the injury paves the way for the rest of the wide receiver corps to step up. Injuries open many doors but it seems there is potential for one door to start closing. Let's try to figure out who could do what.
Giants Wide Receiver Outlook
Honestly, Wan'Dale Robinson was destined to be the lead in this offense, but that seems too simple to be the case. Robinson has done an admirable job but can he truly stretch the field enough? Were the first two weeks a bit of a mirage (197 receiving yards, 1 TD)?
Wild: The Giants have drafted 6 WRs & TEs in the first two rounds since 2014, and almost all had career-altering injuries.
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) October 1, 2025
⁃ Odell Beckham Jr.
⁃ Sterling Shepard
⁃ Evan Engram
⁃ Kadarius Toney
⁃ Wan’Dale Robinson
⁃ Malik Nabers
5 out of 6 suffered season-ending injuries… pic.twitter.com/HdFsvrp1xF
Robinson has had ankle issues throughout the season but the presumption is that he is 100% heading into Week 5 against the New Orleans Saints. Meanwhile, Darius Slayton is more the veteran intermediate threat. He averages 15 yards a catch career and has nine catches for 135 yards on the season. The hope is that his 75% catch rate continues.
Then, there is Jalin Hyatt. Hyatt, the speed burner from Tennessee, has had immense trouble gaining playing time and separation from cornerbacks in the NFL. His rookie year saw him catch 23 passes for 373 yards. Two years later, Hyatt has not caught a single pass in two games (no targets) for the Giants.
Hyatt had a 38% offensive snap share on Sunday against the Chargers. That percentage figures to increase a little versus New Orleans. Does that translate into catches, however?
Stacking Robinson, Slayton, and Hyatt for Value
Do not look too far into the rumors as the New York Giants are not seeking a wide receiver actively on the market right now. Robinson has a good floor matchup versus the Saints this week while Slayton remains the number two. As for Hyatt, the hope is he can get open in the dome but could be surpassed by Beaux Collins.
Hyatt dropped three passes in the preseason and even being in shape made little difference. It is clear that the Giants' coaching staff does not trust the receiver in big spots. When Malik Nabers got banged up in Week 3, Beaux Collins went in initially.
As for Darius Slayton, he is the veteran of the group at 28. Slayton can get downfield and make plays. He may be not the same player as his rookie year (740 yards, eight touchdowns), but Slayton can stretch defenses a little. After a Week 1 dud, Slayton has been much better the past three weeks.
Robinson is looked as a 1A at this point to Slayton's 1B. Depending on matchups may lead to yardage variance between the two receivers with Hyatt a distant third. Robinson has the best matchup for Week 5 but that may change.
Start'Em Or Sit'Em
The simple order for Week 5 is to play Robinson over Slayton. If one's options are Slayton and Hyatt, then Slayton is the obvious choice. Reality dictates that both Robinson and Slayton are useful for fantasy football. Hyatt is not until he proves it. Dropping balls and lack of separation hurts his cause.
Jalin Hyatt says he had a "long talk" with Malik Nabers after his injury:
— Giants Videos (@SNYGiants) October 1, 2025
"He's one of my best friends on this team. He's been in my corner, he's kind of seen the adversity I've been through. He just told me it's my chance, this is the time for me to do what I've got to do." pic.twitter.com/6lapzy4oOF
Like we mentioned, saying and doing the right things are two different things. Hyatt is a sit and see while Slayton and Robinson are worthy of a start against the 30th rated pass coverage in New Orleans.
Fantasy Sports On SI Week 5 Ranking:
Wan'Dale Robinson: WR30
Darius Slayton: WR44
Jalin Hyatt: WR96
