New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll expects Malik Nabers to play in the team’s season opener against the Washington Commanders despite having his star wide receiver sit out practice on Friday.

Daboll interrupted a question from a reporter by saying that the team intended to keep Nabers out of Friday’s session due to a lingering back problem.

“Just back down on him a little bit. He’ll be fine for the game,” Daboll said of Sunday’s game in Landover, Md. “His back is a little tight.”

When asked if it was a precautionary move with Nabers, Daboll said on two occasions that “he’ll be alright.”

Left tackle Andrew Thomas was expected to participate in practice on Friday, one day after he sat out the previous session. He is working his way back after undergoing season-ending surgery to repair a Lisfranc foot injury last October.

Nabers, 22, set an NFL rookie-record with 109 catches last season, which also was a franchise mark with the Giants.

He totaled 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns in 15 games (13 starts) en route to being named to the Pro Bowl.

The Giants selected Nabers with the sixth overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft out of LSU.

Thomas, 26, started all six of the games in which he appeared last season and has 60 starts in 61 career contests. He earned second-team All-Pro honors in 2022.

The Giants selected Thomas with the fourth overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft out of Georgia.

–Field Level Media