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Players to Watch

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Players to watch Sunday vs. Chargers

PLAYERS-TO-WATCH-WEEK-4-CHARGERS

The Giants will look to pick up their first victory of the season on Sunday when they welcome the Chargers to MetLife Stadium. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.

Coach Brian Daboll making a big change in the starting lineup this week, but more on that in a bit.

While the Giants opened the season with back-to-back matchups against the NFC East, the Chargers one-upped them with three consecutive divisional games to begin the year. Jim Harbaugh's squad emerged victorious in all three games against each of their AFC West opponents as they enter this week as one of the six remaining teams across the league.

Here are five players to watch in the Week 4 matchup.

QB Jaxson Dart

The Jaxson Dart era is officially here. Daboll announced Wednesday that the rookie quarterback will be taking over for Russell Wilson as the starter for Week 4, with the veteran serving as the backup. The move comes as the Giants look for an offensive spark following two of three games with fewer than 10 points scored.

"I expect him to prepare, I expect him to go out here and get better each time he plays," the head coach told the media Wednesday. "It's not always going to be perfect, but I do think that he has the right makeup and athleticism. Look, we're going to do everything we can do to help him be the best player. I know he is as well. It's not just on one person, it's on the entire team and that's what we're going to do."

Dart has played just six total snaps across the last two games. He has yet to attempt a pass and has one rushing attempt for three yards. But it was his performance in the preseason that helped give confidence to the the coaching staff. Dart completed 32 of 47 passes for 372 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions across three preseason games. He also rushed six times for 52 yards (8.7 avg.) and another score and helped lead the Giants to 30+ points in three consecutive preseason games for the first time in franchise history.

"First of all, credit to the coaches," Dart said Wednesday. "Their development with me and growing my knowledge on the ins and outs of the game, especially on the defensive side of the ball, and being able to understand tendencies and how to exploit those tendencies. I think from a knowledge standpoint, I've grown a ton. Also, credit to the guys in my room who have been a huge help to me and have shared a lot of wisdom. Those are guys who I'm watching daily and trying to learn from them. I've grown a lot in that side of things, and I think the scheme involved in the game plan is really suitable to my abilities. I'm just excited for the opportunity."

View photos of rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart, the 25th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

RB Cam Skattebo

A shoulder injury suffered by Tyrone Tracy Jr. in the first quarter of last week's game against the Chiefs led to an expanded opportunity for Cam Skattebo, who took advantage of it. The rookie running back took 10 rush attempts for 60 yards (6.0 avg.) and a touchdown while forcing an impressive seven missed tackles, according to Next Gen Stats. This marks the second consecutive game that Skattebo has averaged over 4.0 yards per carry and scored a touchdown while handling 10 or more rush attempts.

Skattebo's impact went beyond his rushing production. The 23-year-old also finished the game as the team's leading receiver with six receptions for 61 yards, with 58 of those yards coming after the catch. He became just the eighth rookie in franchise history to have 60+ rushing yards and 60+ receiving yards in the same game. Skattebo now ranks fifth among NFL rookies in total yards from scrimmage, with the four guys ahead of him all being first-round picks.

"Cam is a good young player to coach," Daboll said Monday. "He runs hard. He makes few mistakes relative to understanding the schematics of things. Instinctive player and made the most of his opportunity."

T Andrew Thomas

Over 11 months after he last took the field, Andrew Thomas made his 2025 debut in last week's primetime game. The star left tackle was on a snap count, which led to Thomas coming out of the game towards the end of the first half after playing 28 offensive snaps. While it wasn't a full workload, Thomas picked up right where he left off prior to the injury last year.

Twelve of Thomas' 28 snaps were in pass protection, where the 26-year-old did not allow a single pressure. But he made his presence felt in the run game. The Giants finished the game with 130 total rushing yards against the Chiefs, with 86 of those yards coming before Thomas left the game. While he's been limited in practice to start the week, Daboll told the media that the left tackle came out of his first game action feeling good.

The Chargers have seven total sacks through their first three games, although five came in the first two weeks. In Week 2, edge rusher Khalil Mack suffered an elbow injury that is expected to keep him out of Sunday's game. Linebacker Daiyan Henley leads the team with two sacks, while defensive lineman Da'Shawn Hand, outside linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu, and safety Derwin James are tied for the team-lead with three quarterback hits apiece.

See the top photos from practice as the Giants prepare for their Week 4 matchup against the Chargers.

OLB Abdul Carter

It's been a strong start to the season for veteran outside linebackers Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux. Burns leads the team with four sacks, while the two of them are tied with a team-high five quarterback hits. While his stats don't jump off the page quite like the other two, Abdul Carter has had solid production through the first three games of his NFL career.

Carter has only a half-sack heading into Week 4, but the 21-year-old has been getting pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Carter (11) is right behind Burns (13) and Thibodeaux (12) in quarterback pressures, with no fewer than three in any game thus far. The rookie's versatility has also been on display, as the No. 3 overall pick lined up at off-ball linebacker for a good amount of Week 3 due to the team's injuries at the position. This came after he spent a majority of his snaps the first two games on the defensive line.

"He put a lot of work in last week to get ready to go and I thought he played well," defensive coordinator Shane Bowen said Thursday about the rookie linebacker. "Just where we were at numbers wise with the injuries kind of piling up at that position. Him having experience there, finding ways to get him on the field, maximize getting all three of those guys on the field as best we could. But I felt like he was impactful when he had some opportunities. And again, to really take it in in one week and to be able to go out there and execute like he did, I was really pleased and impressed with him for what he was able to do for our defense and our team."

The Chargers' 10 sacks allowed are tied with the Bengals for the sixth-most in the league. Joe Alt, who has been filling in for the injured Rashawn Slater at left tackle, has been dominant in 2025, but Trey Pipkins on the right side has struggled in pass protection. Pipkins is listed on the injury report with a knee injury he dealt with during last week's game. He was limited in Wednesday's practice, while guard Mekhi Becton (concussion) and center Bradley Bozeman (back) were both sidelined.

CB Paulson Adebo/CB Cor'Dale Flott/CB Dru Phillips

I'm cheating a little by going with the Giants' three starting cornerbacks for the final spot. Considering the matchup, though, it makes sense. The three corners lead the team in pass breakups through three games, with Dru Phillips registering four, and Paulson Adebo and Cor'Dale Flott right behind him with three apiece. Flott enters this week's game having allowed just two receptions in each of the first three games, which has earned him a passer rating against of 79.4. Outside of the Week 2 thriller in Dallas, Adebo has been solid in coverage, having allowed six receptions for 50 yards in Weeks 1 and 3, which included a matchup against Washington's Terry McLaurin. As for Phillips, it's been a bumpy start to his second season, but the 23-year-old has a big opportunity to bounce back this weekend.

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert has looked great this season with a 6-to-1 touchdown to interception ratio to go with his league-high 860 passing yards. Herbert has spread the ball around to each of his top three wideouts, which has made it difficult for opposing defenses to match up against them. Keenan Allen leads the team with 19 receptions, which he's taken for 194 yards and three touchdowns. Quentin Johnston has a team-high 239 yards on 14 receptions, along with three touchdowns himself. Not to be forgotten is last year's first-round pick, Ladd McConkey, who has 15 receptions for 163 yards. Covering these three talented wideouts might be the toughest challenge yet for the Giants' secondary.

"He's playing at a really high level right now," Bowen said about Herbert. "Johnston's coming on for him. He's finding ways to get him the ball. Really, all three of those receivers are involved in the passing game. They're all a little bit different."

View photos from the all-time series between the Giants and Chargers, which dates back to 1971.

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Enjoy a curated custom merchandise shop, exclusive Kendra Scott activation, tailgate games, giveaways, photo opportunities, live DJ entertainment, and more!

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