New York Giants: Three Key Players to Watch for 2024

These three players will play a key role for the New York Giants in 2024.

There’s a lot of uncertainty surrounding the New York Giants heading into 2024, and how the players on this roster come together remains a question mark. However, there are three players whose role will determine the overall success (or failure) of the team. Without further ado, let’s dive in.

Daniel Jones, Quarterback

This is pretty self explanatory. Daniel Jones is the starting quarterback for New York, and I don’t need to tell you he’s one of the most important players for the Giants this year. Simply put, if he plays well, then the team will succeed. If he doesn’t, then the team won’t – period.

It was fun while it lasted to imagine Drew Lock beating him out for the job and having himself a Geno Smith-like resurgence in the league, but that’s all but done with given how Lock has looked at OTAs and minicamp. Jones is going to be the starter in all likelihood when the 2024 season starts.

Up to this point in his career, Jones has been mostly a below-average quarterback. Outside of his 2022 playoff season, his overall win-loss record is 13-31. Last year, Jones went 1-5 with the lowest passer rating in the league before tearing his ACL and ending his season.

The failure of the team isn’t only his fault of course. Outside of a handful of players, he’s had below-average support on the roster. Let’s not forget, his original head coach, Joe Judge, was one of the worst hires in the league before Brian Daboll took over. The things Gettleman got right as the Giants’ GM are akin to how a stopped clock is right twice a day. Nevertheless, Jones was paid $82 million guaranteed in 2023, and he will be the starting quarterback.

Can Daboll help Jones return to his 2022 form? He went 9-6-1 as a starter that year and gave the Giants their first playoff win in over a decade.  He threw for 3,205 yards, 15 TDs with INTs, and added 708 yards on the ground with seven TDs. They did, however, go 1-4-1 in the division without wins against either the Philadelphia Eagles nor the Dallas Cowboys. He’ll have to prove he can beat both these teams if he’s to show he can lead this team to the promised land.

Let’s see if Daniel Jones can prove he understands the assignment this season.

Malik Nabers, Wide Receiver

As stated previously, the Giants haven’t had a true WR1 since Odell Beckham Jr. That’s left a large hole on the team ever since.  Darius Slayton, Wan’Dale Robinson, and Jalin Hyatt are all ancillary pieces to the receiver core. They have shown flashes of great play, but have yet to prove that they can handle the full workload as a WR1. A true WR1 can stretch the field, make plays, and force the defense to focus on them, making it easier on the rest of the offense as a whole. That’s where their 2024 first round draft pick comes into play.

Malik Nabers was selected sixth overall to fill this very need. For the first time in a long time, the Giants may finally have their WR1.

Nabers has the skill set to truly dominate at the pro level. His speed, explosiveness, and elusiveness made him a top recruit out of college. In his final year at LSU, Nabers recorded 89 catches for 1,569 yards and 14 TDs. Those stats were second overall among the WR class only to Rome Odunze.

Nabers was widely regarded to be among the top receiver prospects in the draft. His profile projects him as an instant starter and immediate contributor on the field. OTA and minicamp performances have done nothing to stop the hype train from leaving the station, either. Up to this point, Nabers has looked to be everything we think he is.

Nabers can be a gamechanger for the Giants offense overall. In a pass-heavy league, having a true WR1 in the offense can take teams to championships. It can even unlock the potential of the ancillary pieces on the offense overall.

Let’s see what Nabers can do.  I know I’ll be watching closely.

Isaiah Simmons, Cornerback/Nickel

The defining traits of a successful defense are how often they win their matchups on the D-Line, how often they get pressure on the QB and disrupt the run game, and how much they are able to disrupt the scheme set up for the receivers. Isaiah Simmons is set up to contribute to all three given DC Shane Bowen’s recent comments on how Simmons will be used. According to Bowen, Simmons will be used as a nickelback on first and second down, and a “money backer” on third down. Essentially, he’ll be used all over and in various situations to get the most out of his talent.

If Simmons is able to succeed this season, the defense can be taken up a notch (which isn’t saying much given how poor the team was last year). If he’s able to help the D-Line up front and disrupt opposing offenses, he’ll be a force to be reckoned with.

Last season, Simmons posted a career best 77.2 coverage rating and will be looking to build on his success in his newfound home in Big Blue.

Giants fans and the rest of the NFL will be waiting to see what he’s got and if he can show he’s truly leveled up from his days in Arizona.

Other Notes

It was hard to pick three players that will be key to Giants’ overall success, given that there are a decent amount of question marks throughout the New York team’s roster. On top of that, their success isn’t so much on one player but on how they jell together. Jones, Nabers and Simmons will be important to the Giants’ success, but they aren’t the only key players in 2024. 

Offensive tackle Eval Neal needs to step up his game in 2024. If the Giants can have their LT and RT established, then New York will be able to take it to the next level. And, considering that the Giants selected Neal seventh overall in the 2022 NFL draft, they need a return on investment – and fast. Meanwhile, center John Michael-Schmitz needs to helps stabilize the offensive line as well.

On defense, Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux will be key at setting the edge. If they play well together, then the defense should be more formidable. Thibs has been inconsistent through his two years in the league, so progressing another step will be huge for the Giants. Burns is new to the team and coming off a down year. Along with the hefty contract he received, he needs to play well for the team to succeed.

The players next to Dexter Lawrence, like Rakeem Nunez-Roches, will be key in stopping the run game in 2024. They also will need to generate pressure on the QB, so it’s safe to say they will have a key role as well.

The leadership and ability shown from linebacker Bobby Okereke has been huge for the team and will be key in determining their success this year as well. Meanwhile, Micah McFadden has been developing nicely and will be key on along the D-Line.

In the secondary, Deonte Banks and Cor’Dale Flott will be key in securing the back-end. If successful, they will make it hard for opposing offenses to throw deep and take advantage of the middle and back of the field.

With a team that performed as poorly as the Giants did last year, it will be key for New York to have these players perform well in 2024. Let’s see what the team can do in year three under Daboll and GM Joe Schoen. If these key players step up, we won’t be thinking of this team in the same light.