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Fact or Fiction: Rookie predictions for season finale

FACT-OR-FICTION

The Giants.com crew is presented with four statements and must decide whether they are Fact or Fiction.

WR Malik Nabers will break the franchise receptions record on Sunday, and at some point in his career, set it again.

John Schmeelk: Fact – When Malik Nabers plays, the Giants feed him the football. There's no reason he won't get the four catches he needs in the first half to set the team's single-season receptions record. There's also no reason to believe this isn't the start of things to come in a very promising career. There are six other receivers with over 100 receptions right now, which is commonplace in the National Football League.

Dan Salomone: Fact – I still find it remarkable that there have been only three 100-catch seasons in 100 campaigns of the New York Football Giants, and Nabers is one of them. Considering he's a rookie who missed two games, there's no reason he won't break his own record.

Matt Citak: Fact – Nabers needs just four receptions against the Eagles to break the franchise single-season record. Given the fact that he's had at least four catches in every game he's played this season, it seems likely he reaches this mark. As for breaking it again in the future, I'll say this - if Nabers can set a new franchise record as a 21-year-old rookie catching passes from four different quarterbacks, imagine what he'll be able to do down the road when he'll have more experience under his belt and the Giants have a more settled situation at QB.

RB Tyrone Tracy Jr. will have more receiving yards than rushing yards in Week 18.

John Schmeelk: Fiction – It's difficult to know what the Eagles' defensive approach will be given they are resting so many of their starters. The Giants will undoubtedly try to run the football with their injuries on the offensive line, so if Tracy can break one long run like he did last week, his rushing yards should easily surpass his receiving yards.

Dan Salomone: Fact – It's a crapshoot to guess how this game will play out considering the Eagles will rest some of their starters. But something tells me Tracy is due to break a short pass for a long gain. He has a couple of 40-yard runs on his resume, including one last week, but his longest reception is 19 yards. I think he gets a big one to push his receiving yards over his rushing total.

Matt Citak: Fiction – After a strong start, Tracy has gone five straight games averaging under 4.0 yards per carry, while topping 30 receiving yards in three of those contests. But since becoming the starting running back in Week 5, Tracy has had just three games with more receiving yards than rushing yards. Despite Philadelphia having a strong run defense, I don't expect to see starters like Jalen Carter, Zack Baun, Josh Sweat and others to play on Sunday, which should make things a little easier for Tracy on the ground.

View photos of the all-time history of New York Giants in the Pro Bowl.

Malik Nabers and Tyrone Tracy Jr. will combine for more than 150 yards from scrimmage in Philadelphia.

John Schmeelk: Fact – I expect those two players to lead the Giants in touches on Sunday, and given the ability of both to manufacture explosive plays, they should be able to go over this mark. I do expect Nabers to outgain Tracy, so figure maybe an 90-65 split.

Dan Salomone: Fiction – I'm just going with "fiction" here because you can't discount the fact that the Eagles held the Giants to 119 yards as a team in their first meeting of the season. Of course that was with their starters, and while I wouldn't be surprised if either Nabers of Tracy gets to 150 on his own, the Giants will have to prove otherwise in a place they have not won since 2013.

Matt Citak: Fact – Nabers and Tracy have become the focal points of the Giants' offense this season. The two rookies have both topped 1,000 yards of offense, while no other Giant even has 675 yards. Additionally, they are tied with six touchdowns apiece, two more than any other player on the offense. Nabers will attempt to make history on Sunday as he chases Raiders tight end Brock Bowers for the all-time rookie reception record, so I wouldn't be surprised to see the young receiver get close to 150 yards by himself.

The Giants will grab at least one interception for the fourth time in five games after going 11 outings without one.

John Schmeelk: Fact – Tanner McKee, a sixth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, is playing in just his second NFL game. He only threw four passes last week against the Dallas Cowboys. I expect the Giants to be able to fluster him while going against a backup offensive line and force some errant passes that turn into interceptions.

Dan Salomone: Fact – They tend to come in bunches. After the long drought, the law of averages is catching up.

Matt Citak: Fact – If the Eagles' starters, including Jalen Hurts, were playing in this game, my answer might have been different. But not only is Hurts not going to suit up for the regular-season finale, but it also seems like backup Kenny Pickett isn't going to play either. While third-string QB Tanner McKee did complete three of four passes for 54 yards and two touchdowns against the Cowboys last week, it was the first four pass attempts of his NFL career. With the Giants' pass rush coming alive last week, I expect them to get plenty of pressure on McKee in this game, which should lead to a mistake or two by the young quarterback.

View rare photos of the historic rivalry between the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles.

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