OBJ ‘leader in the clubhouse’ for final WR spot

Beckham’s reuniting with his former team lasted all of three games, during which Beckham was targeted once on 11 pass routes. An afterthought in the New York offense, OBJ will look to land in an offense that might use his diminished skills. NFL insider Jordan Schultz said both the Giants and Beckham “decided a mutual parting was best for everyone.” It’s hard to imagine who would want Beckham at this point in his fading NFL career. He has nine catches since the start of the 2024 regular season.

The rookie wide receiver showcased a polished all-around skillset, reinforcing offseason reports that he had locked down the WR2 role opposite Malik Nabers. His 6'4, 220-pound frame was on full display as he was continually utilized as both a down-blocker and blocker in the second level on runs, something that should allow him to continue to operate as the clear-cut WR2 for the Giants throughout his rookie campaign. That said, the box scores highlights the obvious distinction that his snap rate — he led all Giants wideouts with 50 — won’t always translate to fantasy production while playing alongside Nabers and tight end Isaiah Likely, the latter two of whom commanded 17 targets on 29 Jaxson Dart pass attempts. The good news is that he played well ahead of veterans Darnell Mooney and Odell Beckham Jr., with Mooney having 39 snaps and Beckham just 11. Fantasy managers are best off viewing Fields as a high-end stash at the end of benches for the time being.

Beckham’s spot on the depth chart is unclear, but he is unlikely to warrant FLEX treatment this season. Rookie WR Malachi Fields is reportedly slated for WR2 duties, and both WR Darius Slayton and WR Darnell Mooney could play ahead of Beckham. This is more of a feel-good story than an actionable fantasy-related item.

Darnell Mooney and Malachi Fields rested. Malik Nabers, still recovering from his 2025 ACL tear, was held out. Beckham drew the start along with the rest of the second-string offense. His stat line was impressive and it nearly went stratospheric when he burned the Jets’ secondary for a would-be 70-yard touchdown. Jameis Winston overthrew the pass and Beckham was unable to haul it in despite laying out for the catch. Per the eye test, Beckham still has something in the tank, even if that something is likely just good enough for a depth role. He isn’t a lock to make the Giants’ roster, but this preseason showing certainly helped.

Beckham, who reunited with the Giants on Monday after eight years away from the team, will “likely spend camp behind veteran Darnell Mooney, rookie Malachi Fields, Calvin Austin and maybe more,” Vacchiano said. “He might have to battle for practice reps with veterans Braxton Berrios and JuJu Smith-Schuster,” journeyman who recently signed with the wideout-needy Giants. Headed into his age-34 season following a raft of injuries, Beckham “probably can’t” offer any tangible help for a New York offense in need of pass-catching upside outside of Malik Nabers, who is returning from a major knee injury. Beckham since the start of the 2022 season has 44 receptions for 610 yards. Vacchiano said OBJ’s most important contribution to the 2026 Giants could be mentoring for the team’s young wideouts. Unless you’re in a fantasy league that awards points for mentoring, OBJ likely won’t be viable this season.

How much does a 33-year-old receiver who missed all of 2025 have left in the tank? We’re about to find out. After rumors of mutual interest between the Giants and OBJ, the two sides have officially reunited on what is presumably a one-year deal. It’s been a forgettable few years for Beckham, who hasn’t had a 1,000-yard season since 2019, and managed just nine catches for 55 yards in 2024 and generated little to no interest last offseason while also being handed a six-game suspension for violating the league’s PED policy. While he’s undoubtedly the most decorated pass-catcher in the Giants’ receiver room, Beckham joins a cast of seasoned vets to go along with Malik Nabers, who is still recovering from a knee injury he suffered last season. He’ll likely face legitimate competition for snaps and seems unlikely to make much of a fantasy impact for managers in 2026.

Berrios was one of four receivers to work out for the Giants on Monday, with the most notable being free agent Odell Beckham Jr. Whether or not Berrios’ signing will have an impact on OBJ joining the team remains to be seen, but unlike Beckham, Berrios was actually in the league last season. The 30-year-old receiver caught six passes for 37 yards for the Texans last season, and perhaps most importantly, has a lengthy resumé on special teams. After losing return man Gunner Olszewski to a torn Achilles last week, the Giants are in need of help in the return game. Berrios has a 191 combined kick and punt returns for his career and was a First-team All-Pro as a return man in 2021.

The drumbeat continues to grow louder for an OBJ/Giants reunion. The star receiver was recently spotted at Brian Burns charity softball game over the weekend, and has remained in constant contact with the team this offseason. At 33 years old, it’s hard to imagine OBJ offering much upside in reality and in fantasy land. Beckham didn’t play in 2025 and had a forgettable 2024 season with the Dolphins, catching nine passes for 55 scoreless yards. In addition to Beckham, the Giants are also working out JuJu Smith-Schuster, Braxton Berrios, and Anthony Miller on Monday. Smith-Schuster caught 33 passes for 345 yards and one touchdown last season with the Chiefs.

Raanan’s assessment comes after Giants LB Brian Burns’ charity softball game. Beckham attended and signed autographs for fans. This doesn’t give us a ton to go on, but Beckham is at least spending time with the team off the field. If he were to sign in New York, it is unlikely that he would be able to return FLEX value on a weekly basis, but he would deepen the pass-catching corps for QB Jaxson Dart. Beckham and other free agent wide receivers will workout for the Giants on Monday.

This is not much of an endorsement. With Giants WR Malik Nabers (knee) and WR Darius Slayton (core muscle) sidelined by recent surgeries, Mooney and Austin are reportedly earning targets behind TE Isaiah Likely and TE Theo Johnson at organized team activities. Mooney ($10 million) and Austin ($4.5 million) signed one-year deals with the Giants in free agency. Nothing Stapleton “saw today would indicate that there’s no room” for free agent WR Odell Beckham Jr. in this wide receiver group. Avoiding the Giants’ healthy wide receivers in spring drafts is a prudent call.