Should I Start Calvin Austin III?

Monday, July 20, 8:33 AM

New York Giants wide receiver Calvin Austin III will merely be competing for a depth role with his new team this summer in training camp. Malik Nabers (knee), Darius Slayton, and Darnell Mooney are locked into the top-three receiver spots for the G-Men heading into the 2026 season, with Austin battling Odell Beckham Jr., JuJu Smith-Schuster, rookie Malachi Fields, and Isaiah Hodgins for a backup role. The 27-year-old Austin caught 84 of 143 targets for 1,100 yards and eight touchdowns in 48 games (16 starts) in his three seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers after he was a fourth-round pick in 2022 out of the University of Memphis. Austin currently appears to be ahead of OBJ and Smith-Schuster, with his primary competition likely to come in the form of Fields for the WR4 role in what should be a more balanced offense under new head coach John Harbaugh. Austin should be avoided in 12-team fantasy drafts this fall, with his only path to waiver-wire appeal early on likely coming if Nabers is not ready to play to begin the regular season.