The New York Giants' impending fight to escape the bottom of the NFC East, and potentially push for a playoff spot, has been consistently clouded by one lingering question: Will star wide receiver Malik Nabers be ready to play in Week 1?
Nabers is still recovering from the knee injury that ended his 2025 season early. His journey back to the field has been a consistent point of discussion this offseason, with both concerning and encouraging reports coming from within the building.
Head coach John Harbaugh described the injury as "not a simple knee," while general manager Joe Schoen said he expects the receiver to be ready for the start of the year.
But if Nabers isn't 100% by Week 1, the G-Men can't risk rushing him back into the lineup. The long-term benefits of a fully-healthy Nabers are much more important than the competitive edge he could bring in a game or two.
Giants can't rush Malik Nabers back from injury
The Giants haven't even started training camp, and there is already tension building around their seemingly annual Week 1 matchup with the Dallas Cowboys. Fans will expect results in Harbaugh's first game in charge. But Harbaugh and his staff can't afford to accelerate Nabers' timeline to make him available when the Giants host the Cowboys.
Nabers tore his ACL in Week 4 of the 2025 season, causing him to miss the rest of the year. He underwent a second "cleanup surgery" this offseason to remove scar tissue, potentially pushing back his expected return date.
The team has not given a definitive timeline, though some analysts have projected the receiver to miss about a month of the regular season.
Without Nabers in the lineup, the picture for second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart is bleak. While tight end Isaiah Likely raises the floor of the pass-catching group, receivers Darius Slayton and Calvin Austin III don't exactly strike fear into opposing secondaries, even those as shaky as the Cowboys'.
If the receiver does miss time at the beginning of the season, the passing attack would be expected to falter. His absence could even be enough to lose the Giants a game or two in the early going.
But that's no reason to rush Nabers back onto the field. The risk of losing the star wideout for extended time is too great. If waiting until Week 4 means that Nabers will be 100% when he returns, that's the best option.
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