Malik Nabers didn’t practice again Thursday and, according to beat writer Jordan Raanan, is a longshot to play this week for the Giants (1-3) at Seattle (3-1) on Sunday (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS). Nabers left late in New York’s Week 4 loss to Dallas and remains in the league’s concussion protocol.
But when he returns, against the Seahawks or possibly on Sunday Night Football in Week 6 at home against Cincinnati (1-3), he’ll be chasing history.
Through four games, the wide receiver doesn’t just lead all rookies with 35 receptions. He leads all players. He’s also second in the league with 386 receiving yards, trailing only Nico Collins (489).
Nabers needs only five more catches to reach rarified air. The LSU product would join Puka Nacua (46 in 2023) as one of two players ever to reach 40 receptions in their first five NFL games. Here’s what else Nabers could accomplish in his next game:
- Only three players have ever registered five-or-more catches in each of their first five NFL games: CeeDee Lamb (first six games in 2020), Terry Glenn (first five in 1996) and Nacua (first five in 2023). Nabers could join that group Sunday.
- After posting 10 catches in Week 2 and 12 in Week 4, Nabers could join Odell Beckham (four in 2014) and Jaylen Waddle (three in 2021) as only the third ever to reach 10 receptions in three-or-more games during a rookie season.
- With 78 receiving yards, he would surpass Hall of Famer Randy Moss (463 in 1998) for the fifth-most ever over a player’s first five NFL games. Nabers on that all-time list also stands 80 yards from surpassing No. 4 Jerry Butler (465), 112 from surpassing No. 3 Anquan Boldin (497) and 158 from surpassing No. 2 Billy Howton (543). Nacua holds the record with 572 last season.