Giants lose star wide receiver for season with torn ACL

An MRI Monday confirmed the New York Giants’ fears that star wide receiver Malik Nabers is out for the remainder of the 2025 season with a torn ACL suffered Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Nabers collapsed to the MetLife Stadium with 6:18 left in the first half Sunday when his right leg buckled while he was trying to compete for a long pass from rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart. Nabers was carted off the field.

Nabers had two catches for 20 yards before being injured in the 21-18 victory over the Chargers. He did wave to fans as he was being taken off the field.

The No. 6 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Nabers caught a franchise-record 109 passes for 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns as a rookie. He had 16 catches for 251 yards and two touchdowns through three games this year, among the top five receivers in the league in receiving yardage. Nabers has 127 receptions through the first 19 games of his career.

How will the Giants replace him?

That is virtually impossible. There is no way to acquire a receiver as talented as Nabers right now.

The Giants turned to the little-used Jalin Hyatt and undrafted rookie free agent Beaux Collins during Sunday’s game. Hyatt played 29 snaps and Collins 21. Neither was targeted.

Hyatt, a third-round pick by the Giants in 2023, has never lived up to expectations. He caught only eight passes in 2024. He had played only six snaps this season prior to Sunday, and has yet to be targeted.

The Giants have three wide receivers on the practice squad:

• Lil’Jordan Humphrey is a 6-foot-4, 225-pound 27-year-old who caught a career-high 31 passes for the Denver Broncos last season. He showed during training camp and the preseason that he could be a useful short yardage and red zone option, particularly using his size and strength on 50-50 balls.
• Ihmir Smith-Marsette is a 26-year-old who has just 14 receptions in four NFL seasons. He is, however, a quality return man who 7.9 yards per punt return and 34.6 yards per kickoff return with a touchdown last season for the Giants.
• Dalen Cambre is an undrafted rookie free agent who is primarily a special teams contributor.

On the free agent market, of course former Giant Odell Beckham Jr. is still looking for work. Beckham, though, is 32 and a shell of the great player Giants fans remember. He caught nine passes in nine games for the Miami Dolphins a year ago. Here is a list of current free agent wide receivers.

As for the trade market, it is really unknown who might be available, what the price tags might be, and whether or not the Giants are willing to part with draft assets to find help at the wide receiver position.