New York has signed Odell Beckham Jr., JuJu Smith-Schuster and Braxton Berrios after a Monday workout. Three veteran receivers in one afternoon signals a team looking for depth and insurance for Jaxson Dart while Malik Nabers rehabs a torn ACL.
The cleanest read on these moves came from ESPN’s Jordan Raanan, who reported all three receivers were signed to minimum deals and called them “no-risk propositions financially for the Giants.” That is the frame for everything below. These are vets earning roster spots, not a reloaded receiving corps.
The room got thin in a hurry. New York lost slot man Wan’Dale Robinson to Tennessee following his 1,000-yard season, and special-teams gadget Gunner Olszewski tore his Achilles in an offseason practice. The Giants added Malachi Fields in April and Isaiah Likely shortly before that. With Nabers’ current rehab, the likes of Darius Slayton and Jalin Hyatt were the top experienced receivers. Slayton’s drops are exactly what the Giants need to get away from with having a young QB they are tasked with nurturing.
Earlier in the spring the Giants also added Darnell Mooney on a one-year deal worth up to $10 million, brought back Calvin Austin III and re-signed Isaiah Hodgins.
| Receiver | 2025 team | Contract |
|---|---|---|
| Malik Nabers (ACL rehab) | Giants | Rookie deal |
| Darnell Mooney | Falcons | One year, up to $10M |
| Odell Beckham Jr. | Free Agent | One year, minimum |
| JuJu Smith-Schuster | Chiefs | One year, minimum |
| Braxton Berrios | Texans | One year, minimum |
| Darius Slayton / Calvin Austin III / Isaiah Hodgins / Malachi Fields | Giants / Steelers / Giants / Notre Dame | Various |
With the Giants the first time, Beckham posted 390 receptions for 5,476 yards and 44 touchdowns. Now 33, Beckham was suspended for six games in 2025 for violating the league’s PED policy and then went unsigned the remainder of the season, appearing in nine games for Miami with nine catches for 55 yards in 2024 before the ban.
Smith-Schuster is in the same bucket. He caught 33 passes for 345 yards and one touchdown in 17 games with Kansas City in 2025, working as a possession piece rather than a feature option on only 45 targets. That is the version New York is buying: a 29-year-old who gives a young passer a reliable option when a play breaks down. The upside is gone, but the dependability is the point.
Berrios brings special-teams value above all; he has played 91 games across the Jets, Dolphins and Texans and was a first-team All-Pro returner in 2021, a season in which he averaged 13.4 yards per punt return and 30.4 yards per kickoff return. With Gunner Olszewski down, that return resume is likely the single biggest reason Berrios got the call. He can win a roster spot on special teams alone and double as emergency slot depth.
The story here is a young quarterback getting trained. NFL.com framed the OBJ signing as a chance for Beckham to provide a veteran voice in the locker room and assist with the development of the second-year passer. Smith-Schuster and Berrios are cut from the same cloth: chain-movers and culture pieces.
That matters more than raw ceiling for a passer entering year two. Dart still carries a premium superflex dynasty price. He does not need a room full of alphas. He needs reliable hands and a sideline full of receivers who have seen every coverage twice. This Giants WR overhaul delivers exactly that profile.
None of this changes the hierarchy. Nabers is the alpha, full stop, and the rest of the room exists to keep the offense afloat until he is back. His availability for Week 1 is the swing factor; ESPN noted his status for the start of the regular season remains unclear after he tore his ACL last September. Our full Malik Nabers 2026 fantasy outlook breaks down the recovery timeline and the WR1 path with Dart under center.
For fantasy, the pecking order is simple. Nabers is the only Giants receiver you draft as a starter. Mooney, who arrives from Atlanta on a one-year deal, is an interesting veteran add because he can stretch the field vertically and would inherit real volume if Nabers misses time. Mooney and Malachi Fields are the names in this group with a path to long-term standalone value. Beckham, Smith-Schuster and Berrios are best-ball fliers, not redraft targets.
Malachi Fields, the Notre Dame product the Giants added as a rookie behind Nabers and Slayton, is favorable for snaps if injuries pile up, and we covered how Fields fits as a trust receiver for Dart. On the trenches side, the Francis Mauigoa pick reshaped how this offense protects its passer, a theme we unpacked in our Mauigoa dynasty impact breakdown.
The honest verdict: this is smart, cheap roster management. The Giants WR overhaul gives Dart many safety nets and gives the locker room a jolt of OBJ energy.
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