Malik Nabers Isn’t 100% Yet, but Jameis Winston Is Helping Him Get There

The New York Giants will have to keep waiting for wide receiver Malik Nabers and quarterback Jaxson Dart to strike up a productive connection, but for now, Nabers has been putting on a show with Jameis Winston.

The pair have connected on 23 passes for 260 yards, two touchdowns, and 13 first downs. Winston has an impressive 142.8 passer rating when throwing to the team’s WR1.

They also combined for back-to-back yardage performances, with their connection growing each week.

Nabers credits that production level to their growing relationship on and off the field.

“I feel like that’s where you really start is when you have a relationship outside the field, when you understand what somebody else is fighting for when they go home and their story, their backstory. It just winds up just connecting on the field, just spending time extra, talking about routes and stuff like that.”

Nabers added that Winston has been one of his biggest supporters, especially as he worked to return to the gridiron after a torn ACL last year.

“I think when your quarterback knows what you’re going through, knowing what you’re fighting for, it’s just ultimately, he wants to see you succeed and he wants to be a part of that,” Nabers said.

“I think Jameis wants to be a part of the story. He’s been here through my adversities, and he’s helped me in a long way. So, I still feel like he wants to help me accomplish everything that I want to accomplish.”

Nabers wants to become the best receiver in the NFL. He was well on his way after an impressive rookie season in which he caught 109 balls for 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns.

But that all came crashing down when he tore his ACL in Week 4 of last season. Even as his comeback remained on track over the offseason and summer, there was still some question about when, or if, Nabers would look like his old self.

Nabers, who estimates he is still 20–30% away from looking like his pre-injury self, credits Winston for keeping things real with him.

“I feel like you don’t need no ‘yes men’ around you,” he said. “Jameis, when you are right, he’s going to tell you right, but he’s also going to tell you when you’re wrong. And he’s going to express that, and he’s going to let you know how he feels about what you’re saying. It’s not anybody butting heads. He wants you to know there is a side to being right and a side to being wrong.

“So, it’s just a brotherly love relationship that you have when you are sharing the football field.”

Still Not 100%

As much as Nabers seems to be thriving with Winston throwing him the ball, the receiver says he still isn’t all the way back, with roughly “20-30%” to go.

“It’s just things on the field that I can just do better,” he said. “I feel like even though those two big games that I had, I left many plays out there—dropped the ball on that screen that could have gone for 60.

Oct 4, 2026; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers (1) runs the ball during the third quarter at MetLife Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“I’m never a person that’s always going to come back and be like, ‘I could have got a better ball.’ I always feel like I can catch it. Just got to put my body in a position for me to make that catch.”

From a big-picture perspective, Nabers believes that once he can get back to full offseason training instead of splitting his time rehabbing an injury, he can boost his game to meet his high standards.

“I just feel like I haven’t reached my full potential yet. Still rehabbing, getting back. Still trying to take it to the next level and still never really had that true offseason just fully to practice on my position,” he said.

“So, I feel like once I get a great full offseason, I’m just preparing and knowing what I have to do to be ready for the next season. I think I can take a huge step.”

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