Malik Nabers' Updated Injury Status, Fantasy Outlook for Giants vs. Cowboys Week 1

New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers, who is working his back from a torn ACL and full meniscus repairfollowing injuries suffered last September , is on track to play Sunday evening when Big Blue opens its season at home against the Dallas Cowboys.

Head coach John Harbaugh told reporters on Wednesday that Nabers appears "ready to go."

Harbaugh confirmed that Nabers practiced fully Wednesday with the team in pads before adding:

"I think he's ready to go, man. We'll see, though. I mean, it four days until we play. So if he's ready to go, and he feels like he's ready to go, then he'll play. If he's not ready, then he won't play."

With that, there's certainly great optimism that Nabers can have a great season a la his 2024 rookie year, when he caught 109 passes for 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns despite working with three different starting quarterbacks on an offense that finished second-last in the NFL in scoring.

Nabers had 18 catches for 271 yards and two scores in three-plus games in 2025 before he was sidelined for the season.

From a fantasy standpoint, Nabers is ranked 13th among wide receivers and 23rd overall for point-per-reception leagues, per FantasyPros , which used a consensus of 157 experts for its list.

Nabers shouldn't lack for opportunities. He's the clear WR1 on an offense that doesn't have a touch-dominating superstar à la the likes of San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey or Los Angeles Rams wideout Puka Nacua.

If Nabers is healthy, it wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility to see the ex-LSU star command north of 10 targets a game. He averaged 11.33 targets per game during his rookie year.

The No. 2 option in the pass game might be tight end Isaiah Likely, who signed a $40 million contract with the team last offseason and should see plenty of action. However, there isn't a clear WR2, although the likes of Darnell Mooney, rookie Malachi Fields and Giants legend Odell Beckham Jr. should get their looks.

Ultimately, signs point to Nabers getting back in the mix and being used early and often. Simply put, the Giants need him, and if he's practicing fully now, then it could be raring to go on Sunday.

It's easy to feel pessimistic after he suffered a serious knee injury. The Giants may bring him along slowly at first, and he may not get as many snaps. It's also possible Nabers doesn't return to his rookie year form.

The guess here, though, is that we see something more like his 2024 season and that a 100-catch, 1,000-yard season happens again, provided he remains on the field. He could very well be a top-10 WR option this year and a top 15-20 option at worst.

As it stands, Nabers is a clear-cut starting option in all season-long fantasy leagues. There's simply no reason to bench him off the bat. He should be started with confidence.