What happened: Entering their Week 8 bye at 4-2-1 after a 27-21 overtime road win over the 2-5 Houston Texans as, the New York Giants hold first place in the NFC East and face a decision on whether to buy ahead of the Nov. 10 NFL trade deadline. Potential upgrades center on four areas: a feature running back alongside Cam Skattebo, a perimeter wide receiver opposite Malik Nabers and tight end Isaiah Likely for quarterback J.J. McCarthy, offensive guard help with Jon Runyan struggling in run blocking, and defensive tackle depth with Shelby Harris and Darius Alexander. Prospective targets floated across those positions include running backs Jonathan Taylor of the Indianapolis Colts, Tony Pollard of the Tennessee Titans and Breece Hall of the New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars wideout Brian Thomas Jr., and Colts nose tackle Grover Stewart.

Why it matters: New York's overtime upset pushed the Giants ahead of the 3-4 Dallas Cowboys atop the division, shifting their midseason outlook toward NFC East contention. Adding a deep threat such as former LSU first-round pick Brian Thomas Jr. would allow Nabers, his college teammate, to operate more frequently from the slot, while the Colts' 2-5 start and completed trade of guard Quenton Nelson put Indianapolis veterans like Stewart in focus. Any deal is constrained by New York's limited draft capital, as the franchise holds single selections in the first, second and third rounds alongside two sixth-round picks.

What to watch: With the Giants on their Week 8 bye, New York has until the Nov. 10 NFL trade deadline to decide whether to deal from its five remaining draft picks for roster reinforcements. Skattebo's hamstring recovery during the off week and Wednesday practice statuses for Hall and Allen will shape the running back market entering Week 9.