Malik Nabers injury update: Giants WR feared diagnosis revealed after concerning exit vs. Chargers

Giants WR Malik Nabers is believed to have torn his ACL, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport. Nabers was carted off the field on Sunday during New York’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers.

The wideout was attempting to make a catch over a Chargers defensive back and clutched his knee upon landing. Nabers appeared to suffer the injury as he launched off the ground, but it didn’t help that he landed right on it after coming down from trying to make the catch.

Nabers finished the game with two receptions for 20 yards but was still the team’s leading receiver at halftime of QB Jaxson Dart‘s first NFL start. No other receiver had more than one reception in the first half by the Giants.

Dart is starting in favor of veteran QB Russell Wilson, who the Giants benched after subbing in Dart last week. Despite the inconsistency under center, Nabers was the NFL’s fourth-leading receiver heading into the matchup with 251 yards and two touchdowns.

As if anything else couldn’t go wrong for the Giants on the injury front, Dart was taken out of the game to be evaluated for a concussion early on in the second half. Wilson was brought in for the injured Dart, who started the first three games of the season for the Giants.

Nabers is in his second season with the Giants after being drafted sixth overall in the first round by New York in the 2024 NFL Draft. He quickly cemented himself as WR1 in the Giants offense during his rookie season.

By the time the year was over, Nabers caught 109 of his 170 targets for 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns. Now, it appears that Nabers’ sophomore season has come to an unceremonious end less than four games into the year.

Nabers had a bit of an injury scare last week, though it turned out to be nothing major. During last week’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, Nabers was targeted on a deep ball and appeared to be injured on the play.

He served as a defensive back of sorts on an under-thrown deep ball from Wilson that landed in the end zone. But as he swiped the ball away from a Chiefs defensive back, he was shaken up going to the ground. Nabers went to the injury tent and returned a few plays later. One week later, and the injury scare would turn into an unfortunate reality for the Giants budding star.