New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers. Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Malik Nabers injury news could be worst-case scenario for Giants offense

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Sep 28, 2025 3:59 PM ET

New York Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart has potentially lost one of his top weapons for the rest of the season.

Giants second-year wide receiver Malik Nabers landed awkwardly while jumping for a ball midway through the second quarter of Sunday's home game against the Los Angeles Chargers. The wideout then grabbed his right knee and was carted off the field.

After he was ruled out of the game, the Giants received more bad news on Nabers. NFL Media insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported he is believed to have suffered a torn ACL.

How Malik Nabers' injury impacts Giants offense

Nabers missing the rest of the season would be a crushing blow for the Giants offense. The sixth pick of the 2024 NFL Draft became a star during his rookie season.

#Giants WR Malik Nabers is believed to have torn his ACL, per me and @TomPelissero. A crushing blow. pic.twitter.com/yF4tTnez3l
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 28, 2025

In 15 games last season, the LSU product finished seventh in the league in receiving yards (1,204), despite playing with four different QBs (Daniel Jones, Tommy DeVito, Drew Lock and Tim Boyle). He also set the record for receptions by a rookie WR (109).

He was off to another fast start this season. Through his first three games, he had 16 receptions for 251 yards and two TD catches. Before exiting against the Chargers, he logged two receptions for 20 yards.

If Nabers misses the rest of the season, that raises questions about who Dart will be throwing to. Nabers is one of the few reliable pass-catchers for the rookie QB.

How Malik Nabers' injury affects Jaxson Dart

Before his first start, Dart discussed how he was excited about playing with Nabers, whom he saw dominate his teams at Ole Miss.

"I saw him cook my team in college," Dart said. "I have all the confidence in the world to get him the ball."

Now, Dart may not get that opportunity to develop chemistry with Nabers and must find a new No. 1 target. According to longtime NFL reporter James Palmer, the WR was responsible for 29 percent of the Giants' receptions entering Week 4. That's the second-highest share in the NFL, behind Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride (29.5 percent).

Coming into Week 4, Malik Nabers was responsible for 29% of the Giants receptions this season. It's the second highest share in the NFL, only trailing Cardinals Trey McBride at 29.5% https://t.co/PNfuDhDqQM
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) September 28, 2025

Adjusting to the NFL is difficult enough for rookie QBs. That transition will be even more challenging for Dart if Nabers is done for the rest of the season.

Clark Dalton

Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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