Malik Nabers

Malik Nabers is “murky at best” to play Week 1 vs. the Cowboys on SNF, Adam Schefter reported on ESPN Sunday Countdown. Nabers hasn’t told the Giants yet if he will play, while the Giants activated WR Braxton Berrios from the practice squad and signed WR Dalen Cambre to the 53-man roster.

With the Giants playing on Sunday Night Football, it creates a challenge for how fantasy football managers can adjust. Unless you have a viable pivot in the Cowboys-Giants SNF or Broncos-Chiefs MNF game, you may need to check the waiver wire ahead of the 4:00 PM EST games and play it safe. Malachi Fields and even Odell Beckham Jr. could be options if you are in a pinch.

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.

Malik Nabers remains noncommittal about his Week 1 status, saying his surgically repaired knee still feels better on some routes and movements than others. ESPN’s Jordan Raanan expects Nabers to play against Dallas barring a setback, but the receiver still has checkpoints to clear before taking the field.

PlayerProfiler’s Dynasty WR4 backs up his target hog label, making his availability a massive piece of the Giants offense. Nabers is a volatile draft bet until he proves the knee is ready, and if he sits, it is a serious hit to Jaxson Dart and the entire Giants passing game. Rookie Malachi Fields could see a bump in early season target share if Nabers ramps up slow.

Beat reports suggest Jaxson Dart has mastered pre-snap procedural operations while continuing to struggle with downfield passing connections. His profile boasts elite efficiency markers—highlighted by a 10.8 College Yards Per Attempt (97th percentile) and a 5.66 NFL Yards Per Carry average (No. 4 among quarterbacks)—that point to a dynamic fantasy floor.

With several coaches from Matt Nagy to Brian Callahan to Greg Roman in his ear, Dart must rely on his improvisational playmaking to overcome potential schematic limitations once preseason action begins. Dart is a high-risk QB who can be safely sidestepped in fantasy drafts in favor of less expensive rush-first quarterbacks such as Kyler Murray and Malik Willis.