The Giants are headed into Week 5 with a 3-1 record, but they’re doing it while juggling more injury uncertainty than they’d like - and now Malik Nabers has become the latest name to watch.
New York is set to face the Washington Commanders on the road Sunday, and Nabers’ status is suddenly a little murky after the star wideout gave a brief update on his condition.
“Malik Nabers says he's ‘sore.' More sore than usual.
Did as much as he could at practice. Nabers said ‘we'll see' as to whether it will affect his ability to play Sunday vs.
Commanders. But adds he usually gets better as the week progresses,” reported Jordan Raanan of ESPN on X, formerly Twitter.
That wasn’t the only sign that this is something to monitor. Nabers did not practice on Wednesday, according to NFL Network insider Mike Garafolo on X.
For the Giants, this is a familiar kind of concern. Injuries have already been a major storyline for the team this season, with starting quarterback Jaxson Dart among the players affected. Nabers, meanwhile, is one of the biggest reasons New York has any momentum at all.
He has quickly become arguably the best player on the roster, building star status over his first season and change in the league before a torn ACL ended his second year early last season. He returned in time for this season’s opener, but the Giants will almost certainly be careful if the soreness lingers.
New York is coming off a home win over the Arizona Cardinals, one that helped keep the team’s improbable start intact despite some uneven play overall. Now the focus shifts to Landover, Maryland, where the Giants and Commanders are scheduled to kick off Sunday at 1:00 pm ET.
In Other News...
Giants Just Got A Tougher NFC East Problem To Prepare For
A rough afternoon in London left Washington with more than just a loss to the Colts. Starting quarterback Jayden Daniels suffered a dislocated left elbow in Week 5, and the injury immediately changed the conversation around the Commanders offense after Marcus Mariota had already gone down and third-stringer Athan Kaliakmanis was forced into action.
Dan Quinn said Daniels is on track to potentially return as soon as next week against the Giants, a development that would give Washington a much different look than it had overseas. For New York, it means preparing for a division opponent that may not be scrambling at quarterback for long, even if the recovery timeline still has to play out. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Suddenly Have A Week 5 Injury Problem Fans Can't Ignore
The injury picture around Washington has shifted quickly enough to become a real Week 5 storyline, and it reaches across both sides of the ball. The Commanders are trying to manage hamstring strains for Stefon Diggs and Terry McLaurin, while Charles Omenihu is working through groin and ankle issues and Marcus Mariota is dealing with a sprained MCL. Jayden Daniels is still expected to start despite his own dislocated elbow, which gives the quarterback room at least some clarity even as the rest of the roster gets more complicated.
Nick Cross adds another layer after his illness and hospitalization, and the list of limited or sidelined players keeps the pressure on Washingtons depth. For a team already balancing injuries at receiver, along the defensive front and behind center, the concern is less about any one name than the cumulative effect on how the Commanders can actually function this week. The next update on availability may say plenty about how much margin this group still has left. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Suddenly Face A QB Decision They Can't Ignore
Washingtons quarterback room got another look this week after the team brought in Jack Plummer for a workout following Marcus Mariotas injury. For now, though, the Commanders are not planning to add him, a sign they believe Mariotas absence will be short enough to avoid an injured reserve move. With Jayden Daniels also expected back soon from an elbow injury, the position remains in a holding pattern while the staff waits to see how the health of the room settles.
Dan Quinn has stayed upbeat through a stretch that has featured multiple injuries around the roster, and this latest quarterback wrinkle fits the same uneasy theme. The Commanders do not appear ready to make a roster move at the position yet, but they are clearly keeping options open as they navigate a week-to-week situation that could shift quickly depending on Mariota and Daniels. [Read more 🡒]