The New York Giants got their first win of the season in Week 4, but they paid a hefty price for it.
Star receiver Malik Nabers suffered a knee injury in the contest, which was confirmed to be a torn ACL on Monday, the team announced Monday. One of the lone bright spots for the Giants since he arrived, that light went out just before halftime in Week 4.
Nabers became the latest victim of the famed MetLife Stadium turf that has drawn plenty of criticism over the years.
Despite quarterback issues, Nabers was a consistent producer for the Giants after being selected with the No. 6 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. His rookie season earned him a Pro Bowl selection, totaling 109 catches for 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns in just 15 games.
The encore performance was cut short for Nabers, who will now become familiar with the sideline. Here’s the latest on the star receiver and how long he’ll be out.
How long is Malik Nabers out?
Nabers is out for the remainder of the 2025 season after suffering a torn ACL, the team announced on Monday.
An MRI on Monday confirmed the team’s biggest fear following Sunday’s contest, meaning they will have to live life without their best skill position player for the foreseeable future. Now they’ll have to replace him.
Giants coach Brian Daboll told reporters after the game that it’s next man up.
‘Injuries happen,’ Daboll said. ‘Certainly not happy about, whether it was Malik [Nabers] or anybody else. Unfortunately this is a business of injury. I feel terrible for Malik’s injury. We’ll see where it’s at. He’s an important piece of our team, but the guys that played behind him, just like last year when Slayton went in … everybody gets paid to do a job and next man up.’
The Giants depth chart at receiver will be tested without Nabers requiring all the attention in the passing game. More importantly, it remains to be seen how this will impact Dart’s development – which is the Giants’ top priority for this season.
Since the injury was suffered early in the season, there appears to be no concern about Nabers’ ability to be back to full strength in time for Week 1 next year.
Malik Nabers injury update
The Giants star was carted off the field with 6:12 remaining in the second quarter. He went up for a pass from Jaxson Dart, but his knee buckled and Nabers fell to the turf. CBS camera showed Nabers looking visibly upset in the immediate aftermath.
He was promptly ruled out of the contest after halftime.
Giants WR depth chart
Nabers is irreplaceable for the Giants, especially with their depth chart. Here’s what they would have to work with without the star receiver:
- Malik Nabers (injured)
- Wan’Dale Robinson
- Darius Slayton
- Jalin Hyatt
- Beaux Collins
- Gunner Olszewski
Robinson has emerged as a reliable target in the Giants’ passing attack, while Slayton and Hyatt can stretch the field. However, no one is as dynamic a playmaker as Nabers is, meaning this would have to be a committee approach to replace him.