In the Spotlight: New York Giants Look to Take Next Step Under John Harbaugh

The New York Giants enter the 2026 season hoping a new coaching staff and another year of development from quarterback Jaxson Dart can finally push the franchise back toward playoff contention. New York finished 4-13 in 2025, but seven losses came by one score, suggesting the Giants were more competitive than their record indicated. The biggest offseason change came on the sideline. John Harbaugh takes over as head coach after 18 seasons with Baltimore, bringing a Super Bowl championship and extensive playoff experience to New York. The Giants also invested heavily in improving Dart’s supporting cast and strengthening a roster that has posted a losing record in three consecutive seasons.

What to Watch

Dart remains the centerpiece after showing promise as a rookie. He won four of 12 starts in 2025, and his development in Harbaugh’s first season could determine whether New York challenges Philadelphia and Dallas in the NFC East. Protecting Dart is also important after injuries and multiple concussion evaluations became concerns during his rookie campaign. The offense should have considerably more receiving depth. New York added Darnell Mooney, Calvin Austin, Odell Beckham Jr., JuJu Smith-Schuster and Braxton Berrios while also bringing in tight end Isaiah Likely. Malik Nabers remains the potential No. 1 receiver when healthy, while Cam Skattebo gives the offense another young building block. Defensively, Brian Burns, Abdul Carter and Kayvon Thibodeaux give New York an imposing collection of pass rushers. Top-10 draft selections Arvell Reese and Francis Mauigoa add more young talent to a roster Harbaugh hopes can make a significant jump.

Betting Outlook

Sportsbooks like DraftKings and bet365 aren’t yet treating the Giants as a likely playoff team, but expectations have increased considerably from 2025. DraftKings listed New York at +600 to win the NFC East, +3500 to win the NFC and +7000 to win the Super Bowl in its summer futures market. The regular-season win total was 7.5, with both the Over and Under priced at -110. More recently, FanDuel had the Giants at +550 to capture the NFC East, illustrating how futures prices can move as the season approaches. The Giants went Under their preseason win total in eight of the previous nine seasons, but Harbaugh’s arrival and Dart’s potential give bettors reasons to consider improvement. The schedule becomes more difficult after the Week 8 bye, with road games against Philadelphia, Seattle, Detroit and Dallas among the challenges.

Key Team Details

2025 record: 4-13, fourth in NFC East. Key players to watch: Jaxson Dart, Malik Nabers, Cam Skattebo, Brian Burns, Abdul Carter, Kayvon Thibodeaux and Arvell Reese. Expected starting QB: Jaxson Dart. The second-year quarterback enters 2026 as the clear starter, with Jameis Winston providing veteran depth. Key signings and additions for 2026-27 season: Head coach John Harbaugh, WR Darnell Mooney, WR Calvin Austin, WR Odell Beckham Jr., WR JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR Braxton Berrios, TE Isaiah Likely, FB Patrick Ricard and QB Brandon Allen. The Giants also used top-10 draft selections on Arvell Reese and Francis Mauigoa. Betting odds to win NFC East: +550 at FanDuel as of Aug. 18. Betting odds to win NFC: +3500 in the cited DraftKings futures market. Betting odds to win Super Bowl: +7000. Win totals over/under: 7.5 wins; Over -110, Under -110 in the cited market.

2026-27 New York Giants Schedule

Week	Date	Opponent	Location
1	Sept. 13	Dallas Cowboys	Home
2	Sept. 21	Los Angeles Rams	Away
3	Sept. 27	Tennessee Titans	Home
4	Oct. 4	Arizona Cardinals	Home
5	Oct. 11	Washington Commanders	Away
6	Oct. 18	New Orleans Saints	Home
7	Oct. 25	Houston Texans	Away
8	—	BYE	—
9	Nov. 8	Philadelphia Eagles	Away
10	Nov. 12	Washington Commanders	Home
11	Nov. 22	Jacksonville Jaguars	Home
12	Nov. 29	Indianapolis Colts	Away
13	Dec. 6	San Francisco 49ers	Home
14	Dec. 13	Seattle Seahawks	Away
15	Dec. 20	Cleveland Browns	Home
16	Dec. 28	Detroit Lions	Away
17	Jan. 3	Dallas Cowboys	Away
18	TBD	Philadelphia Eagles	Home

The combination of Harbaugh’s track record, Dart’s development and an upgraded roster makes the Giants one of the NFC’s more interesting turnaround candidates. Reaching the playoffs remains a significant challenge, but 2026 should provide a clearer indication of whether New York’s latest rebuild can produce sustainable results.