Jalen McMillan vs Malik Nabers: Who Should You Start?
Malik Nabers and Jalen McMillan are at different tiers heading into 2026. The New York Giants wide receiver averaged 12.0 PPG in 2025, a full 6.0 points per game ahead of Jalen McMillan's 6.0 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That kind of gap doesn't close on matchup alone.
Malik Nabers carries a 6.0-point PPG advantage from the 2025 season. That baseline matters, but it is one input among several. Matchup difficulty, scoring trends, and injury reports move the needle week to week, which is why the best answer changes depending on when you are asking.
Both are workload receivers with similar target shares. Jalen McMillan turned 15 targets into 178 yards and undefined touchdowns, while Malik Nabers converted 35 looks into 271 yards and 2 scores. When target volume is this close, game script and defensive matchup typically decide the weekly winner.
One thing to note: both players share a Week 11 bye. That means you need a backup plan at wide receiver for that week, especially if one of these two is your starter.
