EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — FOX Sports’ Jay Glazer reported Sunday that the New York Giants think Malik Nabers will play against the Dallas Cowboys in the season opener. Glazer also reported the receiver will be a game-time decision.
Nabers carries a questionable designation with a knee injury. He was the only Giant given a game status on the final injury report of the week, released Friday, and he practiced in full Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Inactives are due 90 minutes before kickoff at MetLife Stadium.
Nabers put in early mornings and late nights to reach a point where the choice would be his to make.
“I wouldn’t want anyone to tell me I’m going to be on the pitch count, because at the end of the day, it’s my career and it’s my body,” Nabers said. “If a pitch count is in the conversation, then I would lead that conversation. That decision would be on me.”
Sitting out Sunday remained a possibility as of Thursday.
“I’ve been wanting to play for so long now, but at the end of the day, I can’t put my career at risk,” Nabers explained. “There’s a lot of football that I still have left to play.”
Giants coach John Harbaugh said Wednesday that Nabers took contact in a padded practice.
“I think he’s ready to go, man,” Harbaugh said. “We’ll see, though. If he’s ready to go and he feels like he’s ready to go, then he’ll play. If he’s not, and he’s not ready, then he won’t play.”
Friday’s session was a mental practice more than a workout, and Harbaugh would not grade Nabers off it.
“It wouldn’t be fair to say he looked good or bad or whatever in that kind of a practice, but he was good,” Harbaugh explained.
Malik Nabers Knee Injury Timeline
Nabers tore the ACL and meniscus in his right knee against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sept. 28, 2025, and had surgery in late October. A second procedure this offseason cleared out scar tissue that had left the knee stiff. Sunday’s game falls 10 and a half months after the first surgery.
Before the injury he played four games, finishing 2025 with 18 catches for 271 yards and 2 touchdowns. As a rookie in 2024, Nabers caught 109 passes for 1,204 yards and 7 touchdowns in 15 games and made the Pro Bowl. He was the sixth overall pick in the 2024 draft.
Both of his 2025 touchdowns came against Dallas. In Week 2 at AT&T Stadium on Sept. 14, Nabers caught 9 passes for 167 yards and 2 touchdowns. His 48-yard go-ahead score came with 25 seconds left in a 40-37 overtime loss. As a rookie against the Cowboys in 2024, he caught 12 passes for 115 yards before leaving with a concussion. New York won the rematch 34-17 at MetLife Stadium in the Jan. 4 finale while Nabers was on injured reserve.
New York Giants Receiver Depth Against the Dallas Cowboys
New York signed wide receiver Dalen Cambre to the 53-man roster Saturday and elevated Braxton Berrios from the practice squad. Cambre signed with the Giants as an undrafted free agent out of Louisiana on May 9, 2025, and has played 7 career games. New York released him Aug. 31 and re-signed him to the practice squad Sept. 2.
Dan Duggan of The Athletic reported that the Berrios elevation was a special teams decision and was not tied to Nabers’ status. Berrios has 140 receptions for 1,360 yards and 6 touchdowns over 91 games, along with 3,395 career return yards, and was a first-team All-Pro returner in 2021.
The other receivers on the active roster are Odell Beckham Jr., Darnell Mooney, and rookie Malachi Fields. Quarterback Jaxson Dart has never played a regular-season snap with Nabers.
On the Dallas side, coach Brian Schottenheimer ruled out running back Malik Davis with a hip injury. Left guard Tyler Smith went on injured reserve Wednesday after thumb surgery. Christian Parker calls his first game as the Cowboys’ defensive coordinator.
Kickoff is set for 7:20 p.m. CT on NBC and Peacock. The teams meet again at AT&T Stadium on Jan. 3.
