Fantasy Football Injury Impact: Malik Nabers Uncertainty Opens the Door for Isaiah Likely and a Week 5 WR Sleeper

The New York Giants’ offensive momentum hit a major speed bump on Wednesday, as star wide receiver Malik Nabers was held out of practice due to knee soreness. We still have a long way to go this week, but this isn’t great news with Sunday coming quickly. Nabers also updated reporters on how his knee feels and shared some ominous quotes for fantasy football managers.

This obviously puts his Week 5 availability against the Commanders in serious doubt, so it will be important for fantasy football managers to monitor his status leading up to kickoff. If Nabers plays, he’s still a must-start despite the risk of playing on a snap count and/or at limited capacity. He’s the undisputed WR1 for the Giants when healthy and qualifies as a “start your studs” player no matter what.

Nabers’ injury update also has fantasy implications across the Giants roster, as Jameis Winston would take an immediate value hit without his best weapon. There are, however, two players who stand to gain massive fantasy value if Nabers ends up not playing. And one of them is available on most waiver wires.

Should Nabers miss time or play at less than 100 percent, the New York coaching staff will be forced to reconfigure their target scheme ahead of their divisional matchup with Washington. It’s been a very Nabers-centric target tree to start the season, but there are two players with big fantasy upside if Nabers can’t play.

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New York Giants tight end Isaiah Likely (9) flys through the air before being taken down in the second quarter, Sunday, October 4, 2026, in East Rutherford. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

• Isaiah Likely: First-year Giant tight end Isaiah Likely stands as the primary beneficiary in target volume if Nabers doesn’t play against Washington. Likely possesses the athleticism to create mismatches in the seam and operate as a primary target over the middle. If Nabers sits, expect elevated looks for Likely as a security blanket, cementing his status as a high-upside TE1 option for Week 5. He could see double-digit targets in this scenario.

• Malachi Fields: The rookie third-round wideout out of Notre Dame has quietly established himself as the clear WR2 in terms of route participation. Fields caught a 12-yard touchdown pass in Week 4, demonstrating his upside as a viable deep and red-zone threat. If Malik Nabers is sidelined, Fields could easily see his volume jump to 7-8 targets, giving him strong upside as a waiver-wire pickup with Week 5 Flex consideration.

Isaiah Likely: First-year Giant tight end Isaiah Likely stands as the primary beneficiary in target volume if Nabers doesn’t play against Washington. Likely possesses the athleticism to create mismatches in the seam and operate as a primary target over the middle. If Nabers sits, expect elevated looks for Likely as a security blanket, cementing his status as a high-upside TE1 option for Week 5. He could see double-digit targets in this scenario.

Malachi Fields: The rookie third-round wideout out of Notre Dame has quietly established himself as the clear WR2 in terms of route participation. Fields caught a 12-yard touchdown pass in Week 4, demonstrating his upside as a viable deep and red-zone threat. If Malik Nabers is sidelined, Fields could easily see his volume jump to 7-8 targets, giving him strong upside as a waiver-wire pickup with Week 5 Flex consideration.

• Darnell Mooney: Positioned on the perimeter, Mooney would absorb a portion of Nabers’ vacant target share alongside Fields. He went without a catch during Week 3, however, so he’d be a very risky flex streamer in the deepest of leagues if Nabers is ruled out.

• Theo Johnson: Johnson converted his lone target into a touchdown last week, so he could see an uptick in route participation if Nabers doesn’t play. While Likely remains the higher-ceiling option in the tight end room, Johnson becomes a deep-league streaming flyer if the Giants are without Nabers.

Darnell Mooney: Positioned on the perimeter, Mooney would absorb a portion of Nabers’ vacant target share alongside Fields. He went without a catch during Week 3, however, so he’d be a very risky flex streamer in the deepest of leagues if Nabers is ruled out.

Theo Johnson: Johnson converted his lone target into a touchdown last week, so he could see an uptick in route participation if Nabers doesn’t play. While Likely remains the higher-ceiling option in the tight end room, Johnson becomes a deep-league streaming flyer if the Giants are without Nabers.