Malik Nabers is officially questionable for the Giants’ Week 1 game against the Cowboys despite practicing fully all week. The Pro Bowl receiver is working back from the torn ACL that ended his 2025 season, and he has said the final call on when he returns is his to make.
What Nabers Said
Speaking Thursday, Nabers said he has wanted to play for a long time but cannot put his career at risk, that he has a lot of football left, and that he would rather be sure he is at the right point physically than make a split decision just to be out there. He said the coaching staff understands that.
That framing is the reason the questionable tag survived a week of full practices. This is not a player being held back by a setback; it is a player and team deciding whether the first game back from an ACL tear should be a Sunday night divisional opener.
Why It Matters for the Giants
Nabers is New York’s clear No. 1 target. Without him, the passing game leans on the rest of a thinner receiver group against a Dallas defense that will be able to tilt coverage. The Giants have no other player carrying a game status in Week 1.
The Cowboys’ Injury Report
Dallas listed one player: No. 2 running back Malik Davis, who is out after a hip injury in Friday’s practice.
When We Will Know
Inactives post about 90 minutes before kickoff. Given that Nabers has practiced fully, a late decision in his favor is very much live, but the questionable designation means it is not settled.
Related
Cowboys vs. Giants preview and odds · Full Week 1 injury report · Week 1 inactives · NFL games Sunday
The Bottom Line
Nabers practiced fully all week and is still questionable, with the decision largely his own as he returns from a torn ACL. Watch the inactives list before counting on him against Dallas.