The New York Giants and their fans are eagerly awaiting the return of star wide receiver Malik Nabers, who is expected to be a game-time decision against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1. New York has been cautious with the former first-round pick throughout training camp and leading up to the season opener, and he was officially listed as questionable for the game against the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football.
Nabers was a full participant in practice on Wednesday and in the latter stages of the week. New head coach John Harbaugh and virtually the entirety of the Giants have been bullish on Nabers potentially playing this week. He was called "good to go" and then was set to go out and help determine his status with a warmup before inactives were due for the Week 1 matchup against Dallas. There was a thumbs-up from trainers after some workouts and before Nabers went to work with Jaxson Dart, all of which seemed like a good sign for his availability on Sunday.
Is Malik Nabers playing today? What the Giants said
Malik Nabers is officially active for the Week 1 game against the Dallas Cowboys, the team announced prior to kickoff.
Nabers, as mentioned, went through warmups to test his health and everything that was reported on from that workout was positive. Things were trending in this direction as there were thumbs-up being shown by trainers and with Nabers reportedly looking good. Moreover, him being a full participant in practices throughout the week was also a positive trend that led to him playing in the season opener.
If Nabers is on a limited snap count or cannot play, that will place even more pressure on Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo, two emerging Giants young stars who should take a leap forward in 2026. Behind Nabers on the depth chart is a familiar face, as Odell Beckham Jr. managed to make the 53-man roster and should be completely healthy. If Nabers cannot go, expect Dart to target the veteran in key third-down situations.
Giants WR depth chart if Malik Nabers misses time
Whether it be now or later in the season, the Giants wide receiver depth chart could be tested if Harbaugh prefers not to rush Nabers back, or to have him on a limited snap count. OBJ is the biggest brand behind Nabers, but he is far from alone and frankly not the most capable player at this stage of his career. Rather, should Nabers miss any time this season, the Giants will rely heavily on younger, emerging wideouts like Malachi Fields and Darnell Mooney.
Position | Player |
|---|---|
WR1 | Malik Nabers |
WR2 | Darnell Mooney |
WR3 | Malachi Fields |
WR4 | Odell Beckham Jr. |
WR5 | Braxton Berrios |
WR6 | Dalen Cambre |
Mooney was an underrated free-agent signing just this offseason, and should provide some important depth with Nabers status questionable moving forward. Fields was a third-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft out of Notre Dame, and should receive some early run with or without Nabers on the field.
Add us as a preferred source on Google