Malik Nabers Injury Update: When Will WR Be Back and Return to Giants?

The New York Giants are 2-9 on the season and have virtually no shot at making the playoffs. Their season was doomed early on in the campaign, when star WR Malik Nabers went down to injury against the LA Chargers in Week 4. So, when will Nabers be back and return to the playing field? Below, we will deliver a Nabers injury update, as well as his fantasy football stock moving forward. We’ll also look at the Giants' betting odds.

⏳ When will Malik Nabers return and be back with Giants?

The Giants’ season went up in flames in Week 4 when they lost Nabers, their top player, to a season-ending ACL tear. Nabers waited a month to get surgery, but the delay should have no bearing on his return.

Barring any setbacks during rehab, Nabers is expected to participate in training camp in July 2026 and be ready for the Giants’ season opener in September.

The potentially lethal combo of quarterback Jaxson Dart and Nabers was not on display for too long during the Sept. 28 game against the Chargers. 

During the second quarter, Dart threw a deep pass down the right sideline to Nabers. Nabers’ right leg seemed to buckle as he went up to try to catch the pass. The WR immediately grabbed his leg and had to be carted off the MetLife Stadium field. 

“Malik is one of one,” Dart said at the time. “When you have a guy like that on the field, you have all the confidence in the world that he can just be a dominant game-changer. But I thought from that moment, obviously, it’s really hard seeing one of your best friends go down.

“You hate to see your teammate, your brother, go down and look in pain like that."

❓ Is Malik Nabers out for the season?

Yes, Nabers is out for the remainder of the 2025-26 NFL season. He is expected to return for the 2026-27 campaign.

It typically takes 9-12 months for an NFL player to recover from ACL surgery and be ready to play.

One recent encouraging injury comp for Nabers is New England Patriots WR Stefon Diggs. He had ACL surgery in October 2024 but was able to be a full participant in Patriots training camp in late July and August of 2025. 

Diggs did not play in any of New England’s preseason games but was ready to go for Week 1 of the regular season.

It’s still early, but Nabers looks to be in line to follow a similar timeline.

🏈 Malik Nabers fantasy football stock

Nabers was a first-round pick in most fantasy football drafts this past summer, typically going in the 6-10 overall range. He is considered one of the top young wide receivers in the NFL, as he is still just 22 years old.

In his rookie season of 2024, Nabers had 109 receptions for 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns.

It will be interesting to see where he projects to go in fantasy football drafts next summer. Some owners may be scared off by how long it may take Nabers to regain his All-Pro level form. It’s possible that Nabers’ ADP will fall into the second or third round in 12-team PPR leagues.

🗽 Giants betting odds

The Giants have a nice young offensive core of Nabers, Dart, and running back Cam Skattebo moving forward. Skattebo is recovering from a season-ending injury of his own after dislocating his ankle against the Eagles in Week 8.

But their prospects for this season are grim. Super Bowl odds show the G-Men with a +100000 price, which is tied for the highest number on the board.

The best NFL betting sites have their win total set at 4.5 victories, with juice on the Under. They are currently 2-9 on the season.