The optimism surrounding the New York Giants‘ passing attack has hit a bit of a setback, at least for the early part of the 2026 NFL season. While the organization has spent the summer hoping to have its star wide receiver back early in the season, the latest update on Malik Nabers is undeniably grim. His 2025 campaign was cut short by a torn ACL and meniscus, and even after surgery was delayed by one month, the timeline still appeared somewhat positive. However, Giants ESPN insider Jordan Raanan gave an honest assessment of the potential outlook on Thursday.
Raanan joined the John Keim Report, hosted by fellow ESPN and Washington Commanders insider, to discuss Nabers’ timeline. He admitted he wouldn’t expect Nabers back and “playing as a No. 1 superstar” by Week 5 or 6 of the season.
“They don’t know, nobody knows. It’s a wait-and-see,” Raanan said. “…Even when he does come back, we have to remember he’s coming back from a serious injury. So, is he going to be himself right away? That’s a lot to ask, right? … There’s not a ton of scenarios where I look at it and say ‘Malik Nabers is gonna be back and playing as a No. 1 superstar receiver’ by [Week 5 or 6]. Maybe that’s around the time we can expect him to start coming around if he starts practicing in early September; it’s a big wait-and-see.”
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Malik Nabers’ new injury update is a grim outlook for the New York Giants
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