Malik Nabers on Giants’ injury report in worrying twist

The Giants’ injury report pressed the pause button on the excitement of the first best-friends battle between Malik Nabers and Jayden Daniels.

Nabers experienced knee soreness and was listed as limited in Thursday’s practice on the official injury report, which was released shortly after the rookie receiver previewed what is supposed to be the first of many NFC East battles over the coming years against his former quarterback at LSU.

He will have to be designated as questionable, doubtful or fully available for Sunday against the Commanders after Friday’s practice.

It’s a wrench thrown into the much-anticipated meeting between the No. 2 pick (Daniels) and No. 6 pick (Nabers) in the 2024 draft, though there is still hope that Nabers can play in a virtual must-win Week 2 game for the Giants.

“Without him, I probably wouldn’t be here right now,” Nabers said. “Having that guy as my quarterback took a lot of stress off me. I’m sure I took a lot of stress off him, too, [by] getting open. We’re in a different space right now, but it’s still the same game.”

Nabers said Thursday’s practice “went great” and he “got to move around a lot.”

“You have to wait until game day to see how you actually play,” Nabers said. “Every day in practice is going to look good: You are going against scout team, plays are going to look good, but it all matters when you play another team.”

Daniels and Nabers originally made a $10,000 bet on which one of them would win Offensive Rookie of the Year. They called it off in the spring after receiving education on the NFL’s gambling policy.

There is no policy against talking trash.

“We talk about the game, we talk about football,” Nabers said. “We’re going to talk smack when we play on the field, but off the field it’s a brotherly relationship.”

Daniels threw 57 touchdown passes in his two seasons at LSU as an Arizona State transfer, while Nabers caught 21 touchdowns in his three seasons. The connection helped Daniels win the 2023 Heisman Trophy and Nabers set the program record for receiving yards record (3,003).

So, it would be foolish if a couple of Giants defensive players didn’t ask Nabers for some insights on how to slow down Daniels.

“That’s something you have to share when you are going against your old teammate,” Nabers said. “Any ways to get the win.”

Nabers played all 71 offensive snaps in his NFL debut, making five catches for 66 yards on seven targets.

“I’m excited to have the ball in my hands any way possible I can get it,” Nabers said.

Daniels completed 17 of 24 passes for 184 yards and ran 18 times for 88 yards and two touchdowns in his losing debut against the Buccaneers.

“It’s going to be special. That’s my brother,” Daniels said. “I talked to him [Tuesday] night but I don’t see us talking that much this whole week until the game. It was just catching up, talking about how our first game went. We know what’s at stake – bragging rights between me and him.”