Managing risk is key in fantasy football, but sometimes, you just can’t avoid it. For managers who drafted Malik Nabers, the range of outcomes is wider than most – the stud wideout carries elite upside if he gets back on the field, but there’s no telling whether he’ll be healthy enough to play in Week 1 after rehabbing a torn ACL.
We’re diving into the latest updates to figure out whether Nabers will play in the New York Giants’ season opener this weekend. If he doesn’t, is any other player on the team worth starting in fantasy football lineups?
Will Malik Nabers play Week 1?
Nabers burst onto the scene with a historic rookie season in 2024. The LSU product racked up 109 catches for 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns, setting a new receptions record for a first-year receiver. His 170 targets were the second most of any player at all positions across the NFL, too, so he showed elite ability to command volume within an offense while displaying elite after-the-catch playmaking. That added up to 18.2 FPPG, good for a top-12 fantasy finish at his position.
In 2025, Nabers appeared set to repeat that kind of performance with 271 yards and two scores on 18 grabs through his first four games, but his season came to a premature end when he tore his ACL in Week 4.
He had multiple surgeries following the injury – one to repair his knee last October and another the following May to clean up scar tissue that was causing stiffness – and spent the offseason rehabbing. Per most reporting, the target all along has been to return to the field for the Giants’ Week 1 contest against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football. He did participate in training camp and team drills over the summer and is no longer wearing a non-contact jersey in practice. However, concern began to mount regarding his status for the opener after the third-year talent talked about how while he feels good overall, he occasionally he still feels like he’s not at 100%.
Does that mean that Nabers won’t suit up in Week 1? Not necessarily. He said that he still had some final checkpoints to clear before he could play, but that the main focus is, in his own words “just trying to be out there as much as I can.” After largely positive reports about his progression throughout the offseason, it appears he’s on track to make his season debut on Sunday Night Football, but it sounds like there won’t be real clarity from the team on the subject until later in the week.
Who to consider in fantasy if Nabers doesn’t play?
If Nabers isn’t cleared to play in Week 1 against the Cowboys, a quick glance at the matchup might imply that this is a game to take advantage of for fantasy purposes. Dallas’ defense was historically bad last year and truly struggled against the pass in particular. The unit is unproven to this point after overhauling the depth chart over the offseason, and given the hiring of John Harbaugh to lead a team quarterbacked by an up-and-coming Jaxson Dart, there’s optimism for New York among many fans.
Odell Beckham Jr. is a name who generated buzz after a reunion with the franchise that drafted the former star, but at 33 years old following a year away from the NFL, he’s just that – a former star. Making this roster alone is considered a success story for the Giants icon, but he’s not a player to seriously consider in fantasy football.
Following the offseason departure of Wan’Dale Robinson via free agency, Darius Slayton would’ve been a name to look at for FLEX consideration this week in Nabers’ absence. However, Slayton himself was cut by the team on Monday afternoon, which could actually serve as an indication of a couple of paths. On one hand, the front office could feel good about the remainder of its receiver room, enough so that the dead cap of the move doesn’t bother them. On the other, it could mean that perhaps Nabers is healthy and ready to make his return to the field in a major role. Of course, it could mean neither of those things, so it’s best to take it with a grain of salt.
On the chance that Nabers isn’t ready to play, there are two deeper candidates to consider. The better of the pair is tight end Isaiah Likely, who worked in a supporting role for the Baltimore Ravens with 15 touchdown catches across four seasons with the team before making his way to the Big Apple as a free agent to reunite with Harbaugh, his former head coach. Likely is in line for the best opportunity share of his career as a target-earner and could quickly become a standout presence in the red zone thanks to his 6-foot-4 stature and athleticism. He’d be a big beneficiary if Nabers doesn’t play and is the only Giants pass-catcher who I personally would feel comfortable playing.
Rookie Malachi Fields does deserve a mention as a risk/reward option, though. The former Notre Dame standout was a third-round pick back in April and has earned buzz out of training camp, and he’s expected to step in as the WR2 behind Nabers once the latter is healthy. With over 2,200 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns over his final three seasons of his collegiate career, the 23-year-old may have the skill to serve as a legitimate contributor as a rookie. If he’s not rostered in your league, consider adding him as a flier – just don’t start him yet unless Nabers doesn’t play and you have an appetite for risk.
