When healthy, Malik Nabers is one of the most exciting wide receivers in the NFL. The question for fantasy football managers as draft season hits its peak: Is Nabers fully healthy now?
The answer to that question could go a long way toward winning a league championship ... or falling to the bottom of the standings.
Nabers burst on the NFL scene in 2024 when he caught 109 passes for 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns. That seemed to be a mere launching pad to stardom until he tore the ACL and meniscus in his right knee four games into last season.
So is Nabers a good fantasy target this season?
Malik Nabers injury update
After undergoing surgery to repair his ACL, Nabers needed a minor cleanup procedure this spring to remove scar tissue that had developed because of his meniscus
tear.
Because of that, Nabers' recovery process has gone a bit more slowly than expected.
The Giants have been cautious about working him back onto the field this preseason, only allowing him to begin participating in team drills in mid-August.
There's still a question about whether he'll suit up for Week 1's Sunday night game against the Dallas Cowboys.
"My mind is focused on playing the regular season, playing whenever that is and playing what team it is," Nabers said earlier in the week. "I'm gonna be making sure that I'm ready to go out there and I'm healthy enough to play all four quarters ... That's the main focus, is just trying to be out there as much as I can."
Should you draft Malik Nabers in fantasy football?
Nabers' average draft position has been dropping as the preseason has progressed, as fantasy managers seem to be taking a more realisitc view of when he'll be able to return.
There are several other factors contributing to the uncertainty. New head coach John Harbaugh is known for a run-first offense he presided over for years in Baltimore. Also, Nabers' stellar production during his rookie season came with Russell Wilson and Tommy DeVito at quarterback. He only played one game with starter Jaxson Dart last year before his season-ending injury. How soon will they develop that all-important chemistry?
Verdict: There's no doubting Nabers' talent. But injury concerns drop him from a WR1 to someone who could only be a fringe WR2. USA TODAY Sports' rankings lean toward the pessimistic side as Nabers is the 54th player overall and 22nd wide reciever. Someone in just about every league will be willing to take a chance on Nabers' upside before then. Feel free to target Ladd McConkey, Emeka Egbuka or Garrett Wilson ahead of him.
2026 fantasy football wide receiver rankings
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Should you draft Malik Nabers in fantasy? Injury update, outlook for Giants WR
