Dart to Start for Giants as Offense Seeks Turnaround in MetLife Debut

Jaxson Dart will make his first NFL start for the New York Giants on Sunday at MetLife Stadium, as they host the undefeated Los Angeles Chargers. The game represents a high-stakes moment for a team still looking for its first win this season, and it comes as the organization pivots from plans that had occasional resistance to change. Dart, taken 25th overall in the 2025 draft, will start after limited action in the first three weeks, with the Giants scrambling to jump-start an offense that has struggled to sustain drives.

The Giants had planned for veteran quarterback Russell Wilson to hold the starting job for a longer stretch, but the strategy shifted after Wilson and the unit showed limited production in two of the first three losses. With Wilson underperforming, New York elevated Dart earlier than anticipated, turning the page toward a future the franchise began charting in April when it selected the 22-year-old quarterback out of college. The Giants enter the week looking to prevent a repeat of lingering offensive issues rather than simply dialing up a temporary fix against an improving opponent.

It is clear Dart carries a leadership profile that teammates have noticed since the draft. Guard Jon Runyan Jr. said the organization’s decision to select Dart in the first round reflected a belief in his potential, and while it happened sooner than expected, the moment was inevitable given the plan the team laid out this offseason. Dart has been described by teammates as quiet, poised and capable of commanding a huddle with confidence, a factor the Giants hope translates into more consistent play on Sundays.

Dart will begin his breakout with a heightened responsibility to connect with standout receiver Malik Nabers, who has drawn a heavy target share but has not yet converted it into sustained production. Nabers has 32 targets across three games, with 16 receptions, a workload that signals the Giants’ intent to lean on him as the primary horizontal and vertical option. The quarterback has focused on getting him into favorable spots and leveraging Nabers’ playmaking ability to generate easier completions and bigger plays as the offense builds rhythm around Dart.

New York also welcomes back left tackle Andrew Thomas, who had not played in the first two games and appeared for 28 snaps in Week 3 as he ramped up from offseason foot surgery. The return of Thomas should help stabilize the line and provide Dart with more time in the pocket, a critical factor for a rookie making his first NFL start. The improved protection structure is part of the team’s broader effort to give the rookie a fair chance to process defenses and distribute the ball accurately.

The Giants’ receiving corps has offered encouragement amid the rookie transition. Veteran wideout Darius Slayton has spoken about Dart’s arm strength and the potential for dynamic plays, while Wan’Dale Robinson has cautioned that a rookie quarterback typically faces a learning curve and that the team must adjust to the new rhythm. Slayton emphasized that every quarterback is different and that the offense will need to tailor its approach to what Dart does best, a reality the coaching staff is prepared to manage as this evolving quarterback competition unfolds. Robinson, for his part, noted that the clock on this season cannot be restarted, underscoring the immediate nature of this transition and the expectations surrounding Dart’s debut.

The question surrounding a rookie starter in a struggling team is always how quickly he can gain confidence, make quick decisions and minimize mistakes. Dart himself has stressed that pressure comes for players who perform at a high level and that his focus is on winning each game one at a time, rather than being overwhelmed by the moment or the magnitude of the assignment. The challenge for him is clear: translate the preparation he has logged in practice and in the classroom into tangible improvement on game day, against a Chargers defense that has shown both its vulnerability and its capacity to pressure a young quarterback.

This week’s matchup is not framed as a referendum on a single game or a singular moment in Giants history. Instead, it stands as a test of how quickly Dart can establish a rhythm, how well Nabers can convert looks into productive plays, and whether the protection and run game can support a rookie signal-caller as the Giants navigate a season still very much in progress. The organization has repeatedly signaled patience with the process, even as fans and observers watch closely for signs of a longer-term trajectory that would justify the draft-day investment and the faith invested in the quarterback.

As kickoff approaches, the Giants insist their approach remains pragmatic: take it one game at a time, let Dart grow into the role, and see whether the offense can routinely move the ball and finish drives. With a critical test looming against a Chargers squad that has shown efficiency on offense and discipline on defense, this debut will be remembered not as a declaration of a new era but as a significant milestone in a longer, evolving evaluation of whether Dart can be the quarterback to anchor the Giants’ future.

In the broader context, the Giants are mindful of the balancing act between immediate results and long-term development. The club has stressed that the current move is not a hollow reset but a necessary step in creating a more dynamic offense anchored by a quarterback with the potential to grow into a long-term starter. While some view this as a bold shift, others see it as a measured and disciplined transition designed to maximize Dart’s strengths while mitigating risks through surrounding talent and coaching adjustments. The coaching staff remains focused on details: protection, accuracy, and quick decision-making, with the aim of turning Dart’s opportunities into tangible production on Sundays. As always in the NFL, answers will emerge on the field, one drive at a time, and the Giants will be judged by results—how quickly Dart settles in, how Nabers builds chemistry, and how quickly the offense can provide a consistent framework for success. The Chargers offer a stern test, but the Week 4 assignment represents what the organization hoped to achieve when it chose Dart in the first round: a moment to accelerate a better future for Giants football.