New York Giants' roster ranked among NFL's worst by ESPN

The New York Giants will kick off the 2026 season in September with a plethora of new faces on both sides of the ball.

New York made numerous significant moves during free agency and the NFL draft in April. The Giants' starting lineup features an excellent mix of young and veteran talent on offense and defense, and star quarterback Jaxson Dart could take a major step forward in his second season.

However, many believe the Giants’ starting lineup could struggle in 2026. ESPN’s Mike Clay, Aaron Schatz, and Seth Walden recently ranked all 32 projected starting units entering the season, while also identifying the biggest strength, weakness, X-factor, and notable non-starter for each team.

The Giants checked in at No. 23 overall.

Biggest strength

Edge rusher. The Giants' 41.3% pass rush win rate ranked fifth in the NFL last season, and the entirety of their elite edge trio is back for 2026. Brian Burns is the headliner after finishing second to only Myles Garrett with 16.5 sacks last season. Abdul Carter was as advertised as a rookie, finishing seventh in the NFL with 53 pass-rush wins. Kayvon Thibodeaux's production was down with the addition of Carter, but he is as good as you'll find for a third edge. No. 5 overall pick Arvell Reese will focus on off-ball linebacker, but he'd be the top edge rusher on a lot of teams and will get some pass-rush work, too.

Biggest weakness

Defensive tackle. New York is doing its best to patch up this position after trading away superstar Dexter Lawrence II. It's a tough assignment after the Giants ranked 28th in the NFL in run stop win rate last season (28.3%) with Lawrence. Offseason signing Roy Robertson-Harris already tore his Achilles, leaving DJ Reader and Shelby Harris as potential starters (both are 32 or older) and the likes of Darius Alexander and Leki Fotu competing for significant roles.

X factor for 2026

TE Isaiah Likely. With Malik Nabers' health in question to start the season, the Giants are going to need at least one other pass catcher to step up in a big way. The wide receiver group has pretty limited upside, but Likely still has some promise of becoming a star-level tight end. Now out from Mark Andrews' shadow, is this the season Likely finally hits his ceiling?

Nonstarter to know

Alexander. The 2025 third-round pick is likely to be the third defensive lineman when the Giants are in their 3-4 base. Last season, Alexander had 3.5 sacks and made 13 run tackles with an average gain of 2.1 yards. Scouts Inc. had Alexander ranked as a late first-round talent before the 2025 draft. He can stack and shed blocks and plays well against double-teams.

The players highlighted in those rankings could quickly carve out critical roles at their respective positions. The Giants will enter the year with one of the most talented defensive units in the NFL, while star wide receiver Malik Nabers is expected to begin the season fully healthy.

Overall, the Giants are one of the most talented up-and-coming teams in the league despite ESPN’s ranking of their starting lineup. New York could exceed expectations in 2026, with its young core on both offense and defense poised to shine.

This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: New York Giants' roster ranked among NFL's worst by ESPN