Key Giants Defender Will Reportedly Be a Game-Time Decision

New York Giants rookie outside linebacker Abdul Carter, who popped up on the team’s injury report on Friday with a questionable injury designation for today’s game against the Denver Broncos, will be a game-time decision, according to the NFL Network.

#Giants LB Abdul Carter, dealing with a hamstring injury and having flown four hours to Denver, is a game-time decision for Sunday, source said. His status will be determined based on how he responds.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 19, 2025

Carter practiced in full on Wednesday and Thursday of this week, but then on Friday, he appeared on the Giants' injury participation report, having practiced on a limited basis, which seems to have been enough for his current injury designation.

The four-hour flight to Denver, in which Carter was presumably seated for the majority of the flight, may have caused his hamstring to tighten, thus raising the concern being reported by the NFL Network.

The hope is that once Carter gets to the field and goes through warmups, the hamstring won’t keep him from playing, though whether the Giants will put Carter on any sort of pitch count remains to be seen.

That said, hamstring injuries are tricky, and the Giants, who tend to err on the side of caution with these late-week injuries that have popped up over the years, could recommend holding Carter out of this week’s game in the hopes he’s good to go next week at Philadelphia.

Carter has appeared in 71% of the Giants’ defensive snaps this season and 15% of their special teams snaps. If he plays, it would make a lot of sense for the Giants to lessen his load by removing him from special teams duty until the hamstring issue clears up.

Carter, the third overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft, has appeared in all six games thus far with one start. He has 20 tackles (13 solos), one tackle for loss, eight quarterback hits, and a half sack over that span as part of a pass-rushing linebacker trio that also consists of Kayvon Thibodeaux and Brian Burns.

He seemed intent on playing when he spoke to reporters after practice on Friday, but that was obviously before the long plane ride out west.

The Giants activated outside linebacker Victor Dimukeje (pectoral) off the PUP list on Saturday as part of several roster moves. If Carter can’t play, Dimukeje will presumably pick up some of his snaps on defense and on special teams.

Stay tuned for details coming out of the Giants’ pre-game workout later today.

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