Giants First-round WR Malik Nabers Confident He’ll Be Ready for Week 1 Opener

Nabers is focused on getting himself as close to 100 percent as possible so he can break out of the gate on a fast pace when the games start counting.

Jul 25, 2024; East Rutherford, NY, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers (9) puts on his helmet during training camp at Quest Diagnostics Training Center. / Lucas Boland-USA TODAY Sports

New York Giants receiver Malik Nabers has waited a long time to make his official NFL regular-season debut to where he doesn’t want anything, including the ankle injury he suffered during Sunday’s training camp practice, to get in the way.

“I'm feeling good,” Nabers said, describing his injury as “one of those things” that sometimes happens when one plays football or even basketball. “I don't think it's really anything too serious though.”

The MRI and evaluation confirmed that Nabers’ injury is not something that will prevent him from playing in the team’s Week 1 opener at home against the Minnesota Vikings, though the Giants might hold their first round pick out of practice as a precautionary.

• RELATED: Giants Training Camp Injury Update

“Yeah, pretty cautious just to see how I feel, make sure I'm 100 percent,” he said of the likely plan for him. “Make sure I'm able to practice at a high speed and play at full speed.”

Nabers said when he first tweaked his ankle, he didn’t think it was a big deal. But when he went back out for another play, he listened to his intuition and decided to say something about it to the training staff because something didn’t feel right.

He wasn’t even sure how the injury happened until he went back to watch the film from practice later that day.

“I watched the play that it happened, and I really didn’t know what I did with my foot. And then when I watched it, I was like, ‘Alright, cool. That's the reason why I'm feeling it,’” he said.

“But when I watched it again, how I watched it, to see that happen, and I don't feel really a lot going on right now, so it wasn't that bad of an injury. I'm just making sure I'm fine.”

Nabers is projected to play a big role in the Giants offense this season. Although he didn’t get any pass targets in the Giants’ preseason opener against the Lions last week, the first-rounder out of LSU has thus far lived up to his reputation as a big play maker capable of separating from defenders with ease and generating the big play.

Nabers, who did a little jogging before the Giants practice on Tuesday before going to the side to work with a trainer, wasn’t sure if he’d be cleared to play on Saturday, when the Giants visit the Houston Texans, a game in which the starting offense is expected to be on the field. 

If he’s not, it might be a disappointment to those who have been waiting for his first catch in a game as a Giant, and to Nabers, who views every rep he gets as being important. 

But the bigger picture–Week 1 against the Vikings–is more important.

“ I'm always trying to, you know, be 100 percent healthy when I'm out there on the field,” he said. “I got to be available to play. So, I'm going to always take my health first.”

And did he think he’d be ready for Week 1?

“No doubt,” he quickly said.

 Music to the Giants’ and their fans’ ears.

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