The Giants have announced that Malik Nabers is officially active for SNF. Nabers tested the knee in pre-game warmups and decided to give it a go tonight.
Those who held out hope of him playing will be rewarded. This will be a boost to the entire Giants offense, especially Jaxson Dart. Nabers was the No. 1 WR in target share in the NFL as a rookie in 2024 on his way to a WR6 finish. He is one of the elite WR’s in the NFL.
New York Giants tight end Isaiah Likely's stock continues ...
New York Giants tight end Isaiah Likely caught both of his ...
New York Giants tight end Isaiah Likely could be ready to ...
Duggan notes that Malik Nabers said he feels confident overall, but a game is different and he wants to make sure he’s not rushing. Nabers has been a full participant in practice the past two days so there is still some optimism he will play in Sunday’s Week 1 tilt vs. the division-rival Dallas Cowboys.
This is not the first time Nabers has tried to temper optimism about his readiness in recent weeks, but we should know more about his status the closer we get to Sunday. Nabers is ranked No. 27 in PlayerProfiler’s Week 1 WR rankings based on the uncertainty of his status – even if he does play, he could be on a snap count. If he does play without any snap count, Nabers showed in 2024 as the No. 1 WR in target share in the NFL on his way to finishing as WR6 that he is one of the elite WR’s in the NFL.
Malik Nabers practiced in full Wednesday as the Giants prepare for Sunday night’s season opener against the Dallas Cowboys. Head coach John Harbaugh said Nabers is trending towards being ready to play but stopped short of officially confirming his status for Sunday. Nabers is returning from the torn ACL and meniscus injury that ended his 2025 season.
If cleared, Nabers should immediately step back into his role as the Giants’ No. 1 receiving option and carries significant fantasy upside in his return. He will join Darnell Mooney, Malachi Fields, and Odell Beckham Jr. to handle the receiving workload along with offseason signing Isaiah Likely.
Likely is leading all first team receivers in catches “by a wide margin,” and his chemistry with QB Jaxson Dart is already turning heads. Malik Nabers’ absence is helping inflate the opportunity, and Likely is taking advantage.
Dart has shown a clear willingness to target his tight ends, and that could be a massive fantasy boost. Currently going around the fringe Top 12 tight ends, Likely would be a clear fantasy draft value if this connection carries into the regular season. Likely is currently PlayerProfiler’s TE14 for redraft fantasy fantasy football drafts.
The drumbeat for Isaiah Likely continues to build as training camp reports confirm early chemistry with quarterback Jaxson Dart, positioning the tight end as the clear No. 2 option behind Malik Nabers. Possessing explosive athleticism highlighted by a 124.5 Burst Score (84th percentile), Likely was parked behind Mark Andrews in Baltimore, but his profile features a 31.4-percent College Dominator Rating (92nd percentile) that should translate to high target volume.
Currently falling into the 10th round of fantasy drafts, Likely offers ideal late-round upside for managers who choose to bypass the top-tier tight ends. With a empty cupboard behind Nabers, Jaxson Dart continues to be a Likely’s greatest risk factor. He is ranked as PlayerProfiler’s TE16 for high-stakes and redraft fantasy football leagues.
With Malik Nabers and Darius Slayton dealing with injuries, Isaiah Likely emerged as the focal point during practices over veterans Odell Beckham Jr. and JuJu Smith-Schuster. This early momentum follows a muted 2025 campaign where Likely posted a 57.0-percent Snap Share and averaged 4.4 Fantasy Points Per Game.
Stepping into a target competition vacuum, Likely’s underlying efficiency metrics illuminates a clear path to securing a Top-12 ceiling at the position. At just 26 years old with an 84th percentile Burst Score, Likely is a high floor, high ceiling pick in seasonal leagues and fantasy football dynasty formats, in particular.
