If you’re a New York Giants fan, there are a lot of things to be excited about heading into 2026.
You may have a franchise quarterback on your hands in Jaxson Dart, your defensive front has some of the best talent in the league, and you hold the No. 5 overall pick heading into next April’s draft.
Lost in the shuffle of that mix of exciting young players is wide receiver Malik Nabers.
The Pro Bowl wide receiver didn’t play much in 2025 thanks to a torn ACL, but his rookie season provided tantalizing potential of the player Nabers can be.
The No. 6 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft hauled in 109 receptions for 1,204 yards in his first season in the league, marking himself as a true WR1.
Heading into 2026, Nabers has concerns that he won’t be ready for Week 1 of next season, but for a player of his caliber, the Giants will want to work him back slowly and ensure his long-term health.
Malik Nabers ‘Not Really Sure’ He’ll Be Ready for Week 1 Next Year
Monday was locker clean-out day for the New York Giants, and Nabers arrived with teammates sporting a brace on his knee and walking with a cane.
The former LSU wide receiver spoke with reporters and was asked about the current state of his knee and if he has a return date in mind.
“Target date is when my body feels ready to be out there and I can continue to be who I am. And my body feels able to, you know, do the things that I was on before,” Nabers told the media.
“When my body feels ready to be out there”
In a follow-up, Nabers also told reporters he’s “not really sure” if he’ll be ready for Week 1 of 2026, according to SNY’s Connor Hughes.
The Giants have a star wide receiver on their hands in Nabers. I don’t think there’s much to debate there.
Making sure he’s healthy for the long-term and not rushing him back to risk hurting his knee even more is paramount for the outlook of the franchise.
Afterall, the best way to help out your young quarterback is to surround him with as many weapons as possible, and for Dart to succeed, they’ll need both him and Nabers healthy as can be.
Malik Nabers on His Connection With Jaxson Dart
In the continued conversation with reporters, Nabers was asked about his connection with Dart, despite them only starting half a game together.
“Yeah, I feel like he has a phenomenal, you know, he has a phenomenal, like, this is, people call it aura now. You know, he’s able to mesh with me, you know, I’m able to mesh with him, we laugh, we talk. It’s just, you know, being comfortable around each other, you know, he’s very comfortable, very opening,” Nabers said.
“I’m happy he’s going to be here with me throwing me the ball next year”
“So just having that around, I’m a very soft-talking, calm person, but, you know, he’s the same way too. But, you know, when we mesh, you know, we always vibe, you know, have good conversations, you know, talk about what we want in the near future. So, you know, I’m happy, I’m happy he’s going to be here with me, you know, throwing me the ball around next year. So I’m excited to go out with him.”
The New York Giants’ offensive future lies in the hands of both Dart and Nabers; hopefully, they’ll be able to build up their rhythm and chemistry on the fly throughout the 2026 season.
Giants’ Malik Nabers Provides Concerning Update on Early 2026 Return