The New York Giants hosted the Minnesota Vikings at MetLife Stadium on Saturday in their first preseason game of 2026.
The Vikings came out strong, showing various pressures early in the game. The Giants' run defense was a sore spot early, but they recovered enough to hold the Vikings to a field goal and three punts in the first half. As it's preseason, there were bright spots and areas of opportunity for the Giants to focus on, and the game ended 13-10, Vikings.
One of the bright spots for the Giants was rookie wide receiver Malachi Fields. A third-round draft pick in the 2026 NFL draft, Fields looked fantastic on the field every time he was out there and has earned Player of the Game honors.
Fields' stat line shows three receptions for 34 yards and a touchdown. His touchdown reception was a beautiful pass from Jaxson Dart on the edge of the end zone that we could really get used to seeing.
But his impact goes farther than his stat line. He had a fabulous tackle on special teams that was negated by a penalty. His route-running was excellent. He was where he needed to be when he needed to be there, and he played whatever role he was asked.
.@JaxsonDart made this look easy.
— NFL (@NFL) August 15, 2026
Stream on @NFLPluspic.twitter.com/GZkiPnDVqd
Fresh out of Notre Dame, Fields didn't get as much love as his running back teammate, Jeremiyah Love, when it came time for the draft. But that didn't stop the Giants from doing their due diligence and making him part of this team. If he plays all season the way he played against the Vikings, Fields is going to have an excellent start to his NFL career.
On the unofficial depth chart released this week, Fields is listed as third behind Malik Nabers and Calvin Austin III. With Nabers still rehabbing, Fields may see an increased role until Nabers is fully ready to return. And if he plays like he did today, the Nabers/Fields duo is going to be really fun to watch.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Giants vs. Vikings preseason Week 1 Player of the Game: Malachi Fields