What are the best- and worst-case scenarios for the New York Giants in 2026. CBS Sports has put together a list of **[scenarios for every NFL team](https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-best-worst-case-outcomes-2026/)**. Let’s see what CBS thinks of the Giants.
> The Giants are this year’s Patriots. They see their second-year quarterback, Jaxson Dart, emerge as an MVP candidate and their first-year head coach, John Harbaugh, stabilize the organization en route to a surprise playoff run. New York wins the NFC East for the first time since its Super Bowl-winning season in 2011 and does so with a stable of young talent on both sides of the ball.
**Valentine’s View:** The Patriots are, of course, the team the Giants would love to emulate. They went from 4-13 in 2024 to 13-4 and a Super Bowl berth last season.
It is possible for the Giants to have a Patriots-like turnaround, but no one should expect it or consider it likely. What the Patriots did remains an outlier.
> Dart doesn’t learn from his issues last season and continues to put himself in harm’s way by fighting unnecessarily for extra yardage. That leads to the second-year quarterback continuing his visits to the blue medical tent and lowers the ceiling for what New York can accomplish in Year 2 of his tenure.
**Valentine’s View:** I am tiring of the “Dart needs to protect himself” narrative. I’m sure the second-year quarterback is less enthused by it than I am, but there isn’t much left to be said there.
I do think Dart’s development is a key story for 2026. If he regresses, then some some or worst-case season, maybe a six-win year, comes into play.
I do believe the hiring of John Harbaugh has raised the floor. Three- or four-win seasons are probably a thing of the past, and should be a rarity in the future.
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