Malik Nabers vs Quentin Johnston: Who Should You Start?
Malik Nabers and Quentin Johnston are both viable fantasy wide receivers heading into 2026, but their 2025 production tells two different stories. Malik Nabers averaged 12.0 PPG across 4 games with the New York Giants, while Quentin Johnston posted 10.4 PPG in 14 appearances for the Los Angeles Chargers.
A 1.6-PPG gap gives Malik Nabers the edge on paper, but paper does not account for Thursday night matchups, weather games, or a star defender returning from injury. The real question is not who was better in 2025, but who is the better start this specific week.
Target volume is the story here. Quentin Johnston saw 85 targets in 2025, while Malik Nabers drew 35. That workload gap usually translates into a higher weekly floor for Quentin Johnston, even in weeks where Malik Nabers posts the bigger ceiling game. Consistency-minded managers lean toward target share; boom-bust managers chase the upside.
Bye weeks matter for roster construction: Malik Nabers sits Week 11 while Quentin Johnston is off Week 5. If you are deciding between the two as a season-long roster hold, the staggered byes actually work in your favor.
