New York Giants receiver Malik Nabers is believed to have torn his ACL and will undergo an MRI on Monday, a league source confirmed Sunday.Nabers was injured in the second quarter while jumping to attempt to catch a deep pass from quarterback Jaxson Dart. He left the field on a cart and was later ruled out for the rest of the game.Dart also seems to be dealing with an apparent leg injury. He spent much of the Giants’ final drive of the first half limping and grabbing at his left leg. In the third quarter, Dart was also given a concussion test from a medical spotter; he cleared the exam and was deemed eligible to return to play.Nabers entered Sunday’s game with 16 catches for 251 yards (fourth among NFL receivers) through the first three games. Nabers was leading the Giants with two catches for 20 yards before he left the Chargers game, and was a reliable target as the Giants turned to Dart, a rookie, as their new starter.
A potentially devastating loss for the GiantsWhat began as an exciting day for Giants fans looking toward the future turned grim with Nabers’ injury. The offense was humming, and Dart looked great, running into the end zone for a 15-yard touchdown. But all that changed with the deep attempt that Nabers tried to reel in before landing awkwardly.While the official diagnosis on Nabers will come after he undergoes an MRI on Monday, the prognosis for him and the Giants is bleak. Coming off a stellar rookie season, Nabers has been a focal point of the Giants’ offense.Nabers has been one of the most targeted receivers not only on the Giants but in the league — his 32 targets are tied for the top five in the NFL. Nabers had a down game against the Chiefs, with the Kansas City defense stifling him. But he appeared to be on the rebound in Dart’s first start Sunday with three targets before exiting.Now the question is who will step up in Nabers’ place for the remainder of the season? Wan’Dale Robinson next leads the Giants receivers with 15 catches for 223 yards. Look to Robinson, Darius Slayton and even Dart’s go-to guy Cam Skattebo to pick up the slack. When running back Tyrone Tracy returns (shoulder), he can also impact the passing game. — Charlotte Carroll, Giants beat writer(Photo: Ishika Samant / Getty Images)
