The New York Giants got their first Week 1 injury report of the season on Wednesday, and the biggest headline was impossible to miss: Malik Nabers showed up as a full participant.
That’s the kind of update Giants fans were waiting for after Nabers spent the offseason working back from a torn ACL he suffered in Week 4 against the LA Chargers last season. He’s still technically up in the air, but this was the strongest sign yet that he’s trending toward playing Sunday night against the Dallas Cowboys at MetLife Stadium.
And if Nabers does suit up, the matchup history gives the moment a little extra juice. The Giants are 1-10 all time in season openers against Dallas, and Nabers has already shown he can light up that defense. The last time he faced the Cowboys was Week 2 of last year, when he caught nine passes on 13 targets for 167 yards and two touchdowns.
When asked whether the 23-year-old receiver will play, Harbs kept it short, saying, “We’ll see.”
The rest of the report brought more encouraging news for Big Blue. Left tackle Andrew Thomas was listed as a full participant, along with tight end Theo Johnson, who had been dealing with a shoulder issue, and defensive lineman Shelby Harris, who’s been working through an Achilles problem.
Backup center Bryan Hudson also appeared on the full-participant list with a knee issue. That’s a notable development given that the Giants kept Hudson over Lucas Patrick, with Patrick’s lengthy injury history reportedly part of the decision.
The first report of the year also served as a reminder that the regular season is finally here. The Giants are coming off a 4-13 season and open with a primetime Sunday Night Football matchup against the Cowboys, a spot that makes a clean injury report feel even more valuable.
For now, the clearest takeaway is simple: Nabers looks awfully likely to be back.
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