What Malik Nabers told forgotten Giants WR after season-ending injury

New York Giants wide receiver Jalin Hyatt recently vowed that he will be ready to step up after second-year pro and teammate Malik Nabers suffered a season-ending torn ACL in the club's 21-18 win over the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 4.

While speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Hyatt shared advice he received from Nabers about having a larger role when the 1-3 Giants play at the 0-4 New Orleans Saints this coming Sunday. 

Malik Nabers gave Jalin Hyatt a pep talk after injury

"We had a long talk," Hyatt explained, according to Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. "He’s one of my best friends on this team. He’s been in my corner. He’s kind of seen the adversity I’ve been through. He just told me it’s my chance. This is the time for me to do what I’ve got to do. So I’m going to be ready. I just can’t wait to go out, play Sunday, play with [rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart] and get a win."

Hyatt hasn't yet lived up to the expectations many fans had for him when the Giants made him a 2023 third-round draft choice. After he tallied 23 receptions for 373 yards as a rookie, he recorded just eight catches on 19 targets for 62 yards last season. 

More recently, Hyatt played no snaps across the ongoing campaign's first two weeks before he took part in 26 of 69 snaps against the Chargers. He has yet to record a single target this season, and he still hasn't found the end zone for a score as a pro. 

Jalin Hyatt embracing "bigger opportunity" after Malik Nabers' injury

On Wednesday, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler revealed that the Giants "seem inclined to roll with what they have at this point" as it pertains to handling Nabers' injury. Hyatt indicated he's part of that plan.

"Obviously, this is gonna be a bigger opportunity for me, so I just can’t wait to take advantage of it and do what I gotta do for this team," Hyatt said on Wednesday, per Greg Johnson of The Trentonian. "Trust obviously starts with practice, and then it leads on to the game. For me, it’s just taking advantage of the opportunity. We have a good team. I can’t wait to go out there with Jax and just to be out there with the guys again, and just can’t wait to ball out." 

As of Thursday morning, ESPN BET had the Giants as 1.5-point underdogs against the Saints. If Hyatt truly balls out at Caesars Superdome, Big Blue could earn a second straight upset victory.