Darius Slayton or Darnell Mooney? New York Giants WR Room Brings Questions for Training Camp

There are several storylines concerning the New York Giants wide receiver room as training camp approaches. A few of those include how much Odell Beckham Jr has left in his tank, and whether Malachi Fields can contribute much as a rookie.But the biggest storyline is the health of Malik Nabers, and who will be atop the depth chart if he’s unable to start the season.

Two players competing for that top spot on the depth chart are Darius Slayton and Darnell Mooney.There’s a case for each to be No. 1 on the depth chart when training camp opens if Nabers is unable to participate.

Related: 1 Breakout Candidate for All 32 NFL Teams in 2026Darius SlaytonUSA TODAY Network via Reuters ConnectNew York drafted Slayton in the fifth round (171st overall) in the 2019 NFL Draft, and he’s the longest-tenured Giant. In 14 games last season, he had 37 receptions for 538 yards and a touchdown.Although Slayton has built a rapport with quarterback Jaxson Dart, the 29-year-old wideout had crucial drops that have plagued him throughout his career.

In addition, his yards per reception have dipped in each of the last three seasons.The Giants re-signed Slayton to a three-year $36 million contract in March 2025, but his signing is viewed as one of the many missteps during general manager Joe Schoen‘s tenure. Slayton is coming off core muscle surgery that sidelined him during OTAs.

With the number of receivers the team acquired this offseason, he will need to have a great summer if he’s going to have any chance of being on top of the depth chart.Darnell MooneyIMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectThe Giants signed Mooney to a one-year $10 million deal in March, and although he’s new to the team, he’s familiar with offensive coordinator Matt Nagy from their time together with the Chicago Bears from 2020 to 2021. Those were Mooney’s first two years in the league, and he had a combined 142 receptions for 1,686 yards with eight touchdowns.

Last season with the Atlanta Falcons, the 28-year-old wideout appear