Malik Nabers

After recently undergoing a knee “clean up” procedure per The Athletic’s Dan Duggan, it is simply not realistic to expect star receiver Malik Nabers to return for the start of training camp. Head coach Harbaugh noted Nabers is working hard daily to recover, though he admitted the injury is complex and the team will have to “see what happens” moving forward.

Due to this ongoing uncertainty, Nabers’ current mid-to-late second-round ADP has not yet fully factored in his injury downside. He is an easy avoid in all formats until more information surfaces about the nature of the knee injury and the progress of his recovery

The New York Giants just secured a massive target to line up opposite of Malik Nabers, by drafting 6-foot-4 Malachi Fields, an outside clasher who pairs a 110.5 Speed Score (89th-percentile) with the mentality to win contested catches at the highest level. Fields had a  21.2 Breakout Age and a dominant 29.8% College Dominator Rating, proving he can command a high-volume target share while using his massive frame to bully undersized cornerbacks in the red zone.

In dynasty formats, Malachi Fields will be a late-second round pick for most with touchdown-dependent upside serving as a secondary or tertiary option for the G Men.

No big surprise here. While it is encouraging to hear Malik Nabers is setback-free, this statement is a reminder that Nabers is not going to be full-go to start the season.

If the head coach is already admitting that Nabers will likely open camp on the PUP list, then there is a strong possibility that Nabers starts the season on the PUP list for four games before being eased back into action in October. Nabers is a classic redraft sell and dynasty buy.

After a sensational rookie year that saw him gather 109 balls for the New York Giants, Malik Nabers was off to a rousing start in 2025 before tearing his ACL on an awkward landing in Week 4 of 2025. His surgery was delayed nearly a month for the swelling to subside and to do some “pre-hab” before going under the knife. That extra month, combined with other potential complications with his knee, seems to have his timeline squarely behind the 8-ball.

The timing of the injury itself should allow for a return to form by the start of the season, if not sooner. The delay in surgery and the need to walk with the assistance of a cane in January suggest that very little progress has been made. Surprised by the use of a can, reporters at a recent press conference asked him why he had it, point-blank. Nabers’ reply was “I had a lot messed up in my knee,” suggesting it was not only the ACL that needed attention. Besides the cane, Nabers also donned a particularly large and bulky knee brace to keep it stabilized.

The wideout was candid, almost transparent when asked about his chances of being ready at the start of 2026, saying, “My target date is when my body feels good to get out there, and I can continue to be who I am.” As if to clarify, he added, “If my body doesn’t feel right [Week 1], then I’m not going to play.” It was tough news to swallow for Giants fans, who are chomping at the bit to see Nabers and Jaxson Dart come together as an explosive duo.

Fantasy lowdown: Barring news emerging to suggest more than an extra week or two, Nabers won’t slip much initially in redrafts. In dynasty, owners can only hope to weather the storm, unless so confounded by the news that they opt to move him while he’s still a max asset. The Giants will likely be looking to the draft again for another big-play, early-round receiver. If Nabers is set to miss the start of the season, and impending free agent Wan’Dale Robinson (who is due a payday) secures a job elsewhere, New York has to compensate with another weapon for their signal-caller if they expect to win games.

Author: Samwise (@BuyAndSellYou)