Malik Nabers Isn't Satisfied With His Return, Even After Giants' Week 1 Win

New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers may be his own toughest critic.

As pundits continue to praise the third-year wideout for his triumphant return to the gridiron in the club’s Week 1 victory over the Dallas Cowboys, Nabers is intent on shaking off the “rust” in his game.

“I’m rusty, but I’ve just got to get back into more of the football mentality of getting north,” Nabers said. “Just taking a picture of the defense, knowing where everybody's at. I left some yards out there, I left some plays out there. I feel like I could've scored more if I had just run straight and got more yards.

“So, I kind of think that was just the most frustrating thing about it,” he added. “It was just like I left a lot out there that I could've got.”

Before the Giants’ 28-20 Week 1 win over the Cowboys, Nabers had not seen regular-season action since suffering an ACL tear in Week 4 of the 2025 season.

Yet, less than a year after his season-ending injury, the 23-year-old led all Giants receivers with six catches for 69 yards — his longest coming on a 16-yard reception during a six-play, 55-yard scoring drive to end the first half.

In that regard, Nabers clearly established himself as a healthy and integral part of coordinator Matt Nagy’s offense. Still, the LSU product cited numerous instances in which he either slipped on the field or missed a potential catch.

As the team prepares to face the Los Angeles Rams this week, Nabers will work hard to improve his performance and sharpen his skills.

“I’ll continue to work with trainers, tell them how I feel, be out there with the team, run as many routes as I can,” he said. “The game is on Monday.”

“If We Do What We’re Supposed to Do, We’ll Win”

Sep 13, 2026; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers (1) carries the ball against the Dallas Cowboys during the third quarter at MetLife Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Unlike the Giants, Los Angeles enters this Week 2 game after a 27-7 defeat to the San Francisco 49ers.

Though the Rams are likely to be buoyed by the expected return of eight-time All-Pro defensive end Aaron Donald, New York is eager to prove that Week 1 was no aberration.

Instead, Nabers believes his team will be ready for any challenge from a team many consider a strong Super Bowl contender.

“Just trying to get another win, stack another win up,” Nabers said. ”We got the win, but we're very humble about it. And we know we’ve got to – because week after week is going to be another game, another challenge, another defense, another scheme. So, we're just locking in on knowing what we’ve got to do and doing what we have to do.

“That's really it,” he added. “I feel like we’ll take care of ourselves. If we do what we're supposed to do, we'll win.”

Kickoff between the Rams (0-1) and the Giants (1-0) is set for 8:15 p.m. on Sept. 21 from SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA.

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