Posted September 4, 2026 at 4:05 PM ET

A handful of major skill-position injury questions came into sharper focus this week, with one Giants star staying cautious and three players tied to the season-opening Rams-49ers game in Melbourne, Australia trending in the right direction.

Wide Receivers

Malik Nabers, Giants: Nabers, who is working back from a torn ACL and meniscus suffered last season followed by a second cleanup procedure for scar tissue, declined to commit to playing in New York’s opener against Dallas on September 13. He has avoided the PUP list and progressed to full team drills in camp, but per his own comments this week, he’s prioritizing being able to “play all four quarters” over rushing back for Week 1. He said he still has a few boxes left to check but nothing he considers major. Fantasy managers who drafted him inside the top 30 picks should have a contingency plan ready in case he sits the opener.

Puka Nacua, Rams: Nacua, who was sidelined for several weeks with psoas (hip flexor) soreness after exiting an August joint practice against Dallas, has returned to practice and stayed healthy since, per beat reporters. The Rams are not viewing the injury as a lingering concern and expect him available for the season opener against San Francisco on September 10 in Melbourne. He’s a green light for fantasy lineups barring a setback.

Mike Evans, 49ers: Evans has dealt with a quad issue and now a groin injury this camp, but the team is characterizing the groin issue as minor. Per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Evans plans to play in the opener against the Rams barring any setback this week.

Tight Ends

George Kittle, 49ers: Kittle, who tore his right Achilles in a January playoff game and opened camp on the PUP list, says he’s “pretty close” to his pre-injury speed numbers and believes he has “a chance” to play in the Australia opener. He’s expected to need at least one padded practice before getting clearance, and the long flight plus early-season timing add complications the team is still weighing. A decision is expected in the next couple of weeks. Treat him as a hopeful TE1-caliber play once (and if) he’s cleared, but he remains a real risk for Week 1 fantasy lineups until confirmed active.

Fantasy Takeaway

The Rams-49ers opener carries unusually high injury stakes for a Week 1 game, with three fantasy-relevant pass catchers on both sides working back from significant injuries. Nacua and Evans look like better bets to suit up than Kittle at this point, while Nabers remains the biggest boom-or-bust question of the group heading into the Giants’ opener against Dallas. Expect firmer answers as both teams approach their travel dates.