The New York Giants left wide receiver Malik Nabers listed as “questionable” heading into their season opener against Dallas, with his availability not expected to be confirmed until roughly three hours before kickoff.
Nabers tore his ACL in Week 4 of last season after posting 109 catches, 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie. He has since returned to full practice participation, including contact drills, but the Giants have not committed to clearing him to play.
Giants Nation host Bobby Skinner said “the sentiment is they think he’s going to go, but they won’t really know until three hours before” kickoff, when the team plans to put Nabers through a pregame workout to make a final call. Nabers himself has said he does not intend to risk his long-term health by rushing back if he is not ready.
Who Fills In If Nabers Sits
Should Nabers be held out, the Giants’ receiving corps is thin. Odell Beckham Jr., now 33, remains on the roster but his diminished role and uncertain workload make him a marginal option. Darius Slayton was recently released, leaving Darnell Mooney as the more established alternative in the slot and rookie Malachi Fields as a higher-upside pick.
For those relying on Nabers in a flex spot rather than a starting lineup slot, Monday night’s Broncos-Chiefs game offers an extra day to decide. Options there include Denver’s Marvin Mims Jr. and Greg Dulcich, or Kansas City’s Xavier Worthy and Noah Gray.
Nabers’ situation underscores a broader point for fantasy managers early in the season: a single uncertain Week 1 outcome is unlikely to define an entire fantasy campaign.
