Malik Nabers' Status for Giants' Week 1 Opener Revealed

The Giants receiver is questionable for the Cowboys opener, but he insists he — not the team's medical staff — will call the shot on his own status.

New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Despite practicing in full all week, New York Giants receiver Malik Nabers received a “questionable” designation on the team’s injury report issued on Friday.

“He practiced; it was kind of a slower practice today, so it was kind of a mental practice today, so I couldn't really, wouldn't be fair to say he looked good or bad or whatever in that kind of a practice, but he was good,” head coach John Harbaugh said after Friday’s practice.

“I would just say about the injuries, especially today, refer all the injury questions to the injury report; they'll answer your questions, that's as far as we ever really go on a Friday.”

Nabers, who looked to be moving well in the practice sessions open to the media, told reporters on Thursday that the decision on his game status was his and his alone and would be made before the game in collaboration with the team’s doctors.

“The decision is the decision,” he said. “Everyone has to understand that, at the end of the day, it's my career. It's my body. I know when I'm able to play, and I know when I'm able to do what I want to do. So, everybody's got to live with the decision on what I want to do with my career.”

Nabers also seemed to rule out potentially playing on any snap count if it were suggested to him by the team’s medical staff.

“If that's the case, then they're not letting the decision be on me,” he said. “I would come to them and tell them I want to be on the pitch count.

“I wouldn't want anyone to tell me I'm going to be on the pitch count because at the end of the day, it's my career and it's my body. So, if a pitch count is in the conversation, then I will lead that conversation. That decision would be on me.”

Nabers was the only one of the Giants players listed with an injury to receive a designation. Fullback Patrick Ricard was a late addition to the report, listed as dealing with a toe ailment. But Ricard, like the rest of his teammates on the report, practiced in full on Friday, and he did not receive an injury designation.

The Giants host the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night at MetLife Stadium. Kickoff is set for 8:20 p.m. ET.

Giants Practice Participation Report

Player, POS	Injury	Wed	Thurs	Fri	Status
Malik Nabers, WR	Knee	Full	Full	Full	Questionable
Andrew Thomas, LT	Knee	Full	Full	Full	--
Bryan Hudson, OL	Knee	Full	Full	Full	--
Theo Johnson, TE	Shoulder	Full	Full	Full	--
Shelby Harris, DT	Achilles	Full	Full	Full	--
Patrick Ricard, FB	Toe	--	--	Full	--

Cowboys Practice Participation Report

Player, POS	Injury	Wed	Thurs	Fri	Status
Ajani Cornelius, OT	Knee	Limited	Limited	Full	--
Jonathan Bullard, DT	Groin	Full	Full	Full	--
Luke Schoonmaker, TE	NIR/Personal	--	Did Not Participate	Full	--
Malik Davis, RB	Hip	--	--	Limited	Out

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