Malik Nabers not on PUP list to start Giants camp

Malik Nabers avoids the PUP list

ESPN's Jordan Raanan reported that Malik Nabers, WR, New York Giants, will not start training camp on the physically unable to perform list. Adam Schefter called it 'a good sign.' Multiple outlets had projected Nabers would begin camp on the PUP list, so this is a step in the right direction.

The stakes are real. A player on the PUP list when the regular season roster is finalized must miss the first four games. Staying off it keeps a Week 1 return possible.

Why this was uncertain

Nabers tore his ACL and partially tore his lateral meniscus on Sept. 28, 2025, against the Los Angeles Chargers. Surgery followed roughly a month later. This past spring he needed a second procedure to remove scar tissue that was causing stiffness in the knee. Giants head coach John Harbaugh described it as 'not a simple knee' injury.

Veterans report to The Greenbrier in West Virginia on July 28, which happens to be Nabers' 23rd birthday. Raanan noted the Giants will watch closely how he moves and when he can practice, so his availability for the opener against the Dallas Cowboys is not confirmed yet.

What this means for his fantasy value

Nabers' ADP had been sliding in best ball formats, falling from a mid-second-round value to early Round 4 as injury uncertainty built up. Avoiding the PUP list should stabilize that or push it back up.

The production case is straightforward when he is healthy. In his 2024 rookie season he posted a 31.7% target share (third among all receivers) and averaged 17.6 fantasy points per game (seventh overall). He is the clear top option in New York, with Jaxson Dart at quarterback and a depth chart behind him that includes Darnell Mooney, Darius Slayton, Calvin Austin III, Malachi Fields, and Odell Beckham Jr.

Watch his practice participation throughout camp. That is what actually confirms his Week 1 status, and it is what should move your draft board, not just this PUP news alone.