Malachi Fields needed only one preseason game to put Giants fans on notice.
In Saturday’s 13-10 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, the rookie receiver was one of the few bright spots for Big Blue. The result may have left plenty to be desired, but Fields made sure the opener still had something to remember, hauling in the Giants’ lone touchdown of the day.
The score came on a play that showed off exactly why expectations are starting to climb fast. Quarterback Jaxson Dart, after a missed blitz assignment left him hit hard and sent to the turf, briefly went to the blue medical tent before Jameis Winston stepped in for a short cameo. Dart returned a few plays later, then escaped a collapsing pocket, rolled left and threw a prayer toward the back of the end zone.
Fields answered by using his 6-foot-4, 218-pound frame to out-jump linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. and secure the 15-yard touchdown.
He finished the day with three catches on three targets for 34 yards and that score. For a player who had already been turning heads since rookie minicamp, it was another strong step in an offseason full of them.
The hype had already been building, and this was the kind of moment that pours gasoline on it. Before the game, the expectation was that a few splash plays could send Giants fans into overdrive. After this one, “reasonable” may already be off the table.
Fields’ rise also adds another win for general manager Joe Schoen, who traded back in the third round to get him. After just one preseason outing, it’s easy to see why some around the team are already wondering whether the Giants found a steal.
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