It’s hard to imagine the New York Giants turning around 1 of the NFL’s worst franchises without the best player on the field — no certainty in a long offseason of change for the team.
Wednesday, though, things finally seemed to be coming into place for the Giants to get back superstar wide receiver Malik Nabers for a primetime season opener against the visiting Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night.
“Giants HC John Harbaugh said WR Malik Nabers was a full participant in today’s practice ahead of Sunday night’s opener against the Cowboys,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter wrote on his official X account on Wednesday.
“I think he’s ready to go,” Giants head coach John Harbaugh told ESPN’s Jordan Raanan on Wednesday. “But we’ll see Sunday night.”
“Terrific news for the Giants,” NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo wrote on his official X account. “Barring a setback, the Week 1 goal for Malik Nabers is on track to be met.”
“John Harbaugh says Malik Nabers practiced in full today and won’t commit to him playing, in part for competitive advantage reasons,” USA Today’s Art Stapleton wrote on his official X account.
Devastating Injury Early in 2025 Regular Season
As a rookie in 2024, Nabers seemed like 1 of the NFL’s best wide receivers right out of the gate with 109 receptions for 1,204 receiving yards and 7 touchdowns in 15 games on the way to being named a Pro Bowler.
Nabers tore his ACL just 4 games into the 2025 regular season — coincidentally the 1st career start for current Giants starting quarterback Jaxson Dart. Meaning Nabers and Dart have played less than 1 half of actual, meaningful football together.
Malik Nabers Confident He Will Be Elite Again
While Nabers still doesn’t have a timetable for when he might return, he dismissed a question from reporters at the start of training camp about if and when he might be able to return to the elite player he was as a rookie.
“I have extreme confidence in myself,” Nabers said. “And I not gonna put myself in any spot where I’m not gonna be better than what I was before. So I don’t see myself being what I was before, what y’all saw my rookie year. I felt like that was basic … I hold myself to a very high standard, and I feel like that high standard, you’re going to see it sooner or later.”
Giants Get Positive Injury Update on Pro Bowl WR Malik Nabers