EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – Seldom have the Giants faced as much roster uncertainty two days before a game as they do today.

Their final injury report of the week, released this afternoon, includes three starters who have been declared out of Sunday's home game against the New Orleans Saints.

Linebacker Bobby Okereke, the Giants' leader with 93 tackles, will miss his first game in two seasons with the Giants and first since Dec. 6, 2020, when he was a second-year pro with the Indianapolis Colts. Defensive lineman Rakeem Nunez-Roches, who has started all 12 games this season, will sit out for the first time since the Giants game last Christmas Day in Philadelphia. He has neck and shoulder injuries. Cornerback Deonte Banks will be out of uniform for a second consecutive game with a rib injury.

The Giants are already down four players who were placed on injured reserve in the last two weeks: star defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence and rookie tight end Theo Johnson on Monday, four days after they were hurt on Thanksgiving in Dallas. and Lawrence's backup, Armon Watts, and edge rusher Azeez Ojulari, who went on I.R. before the Cowboys game.

That's just the start of the injury news. Defensive lineman D.J. Davidson – who would have been a likely starter with Lawrence and Nunez-Roches sidelined – is doubtful with a shoulder injury he suffered in Dallas. Also doubtful is tackle Jermaine Eluemunor, who missed the Dallas game with a quad injury.

The Giants also have six players listed as questionable, most notably leading receiver Malik Nabers, who has a hip flexor.The group also includes the two tackles who started in Dallas, Evan Neal (hip) and Chris Hubbard (knee), as well as defensive lineman Jordon Riley – also in line for a playing time increase with the top interior linemen sidelined – who has a knee injury, defensive back Dru Phillips (shoulder), and linebacker Dyontae Johnson.

Nabers, Hubbard and Phillips did not practice today. Davidson, Eluemunor, Neal, Riley, and Johnson were limited.

Coach Brian Daboll said Nabers' injury is not related to the groin issue he recently played through.

"It's his other side," Daboll said.

If Daboll has a sense of whether Nabers will be able to play, he wasn't about to reveal it publicly. He corrected a reporter who said Nabers is "seemingly trending down."

"I didn't say that," Daboll said at his pre-practice news conference. "I didn't say he was seemingly going that way. I just said he's got a hip flexor. He just got looked at by the doctors. He got an MRI. He's in there with (senior vice president of medical services) Ronnie (Barnes) right now and they're not ruling him out right now.

"He's not going to practice today but they did not say, I actually just spoke to him a few minutes ago when he got back, that he's going to be out."

Nabers has caught 75 passes, an NFL record for a player in his first 10 career games. With Johnson out and if Nabers joins him, the Giants will be without two of their top four receivers.

Offensive tackle is another position that demands scrutiny because of the indefinite status of Eluemunor and Neal.

"Both will do a little bit more today," Daboll said. "Can't say they'll be ready to play. Can't say they won't yet."

The next men up would be Hubbard, who played every left tackle snap in Dallas, and Joshua Ezeudu. But Hubbard's status is uncertain. Backup guard Aaron Stinnie could play tackle and Joshua Miles was elevated from the practice squad and played three special teams snaps in his 2024 debut in Dallas. Tyre Phillips and Marcellus Johnson are also tackles on the practice squad.

The situation at nose/defensive tackle is perhaps more nebulous. Lawrence, Nunez-Roches, and Davidson were the top three interior linemen. Only Davidson has a chance to play, and because he is doubtful, it is a small one.

Riley has played eight games in each of his first two seasons. Elijah Chatman has recorded 10 tackles and 1.0 sack while playing in all 12 games as an undrafted rookie. They are the presumptive starters, assuming Riley can play. Behind them is Cory Durden, who was signed this week off the Los Angeles Rams' practice squad. His regular-season experience consists of 44 defensive and 19 special teams snaps in four games with the 2023 Rams.

The Giants could also add Elijah Garica (five games with Denver in 2022-23) and Casey Rogers (no regular-season experience) off their practice squad.

"I'd say the practice squad guys on the defensive line are basically taking every rep and they'll have to be ready," Daboll said. "I'm not sure if (Davidson) is going to be ready to go or not going to be ready to go. So, guys like Garcia, Casey Rogers, obviously Durden, who we just signed. They're getting a lot of reps these last couple days and they're going to have to be ready to go."

Defensive line coach Andre Patterson has been preparing for this possibility all season.

"I coach them all for that reason," Patterson said. "Even the practice squad guys, they meet with me every Saturday morning and I watch all of the scout team reps with them. I coach them up just like I do on the practice reps on the other guys throughout the course of the week. They're in my individual periods. I've been trying to prepare them for this moment since they made the team. It's not like, 'Oh, now I gotta coach these guys up in a week.' They've gotten reps in everything that we do. They've been coached on every rep that they've taken for this reason."

Less mystery exists at inside linebacker, where Micah McFadden is third on the team with 80 tackles and will be joined by rookie Darius Muasau, who has started two games this season. It's uncertain who will wear the green dot on their helmet and be in communication with defensive coordinator Shane Bowen.

"Those other guys, if they get their opportunity, they're prepared," inside linebackers coach John Egorugwu said. "Whoever is available, we feel good."

Several untested players will get a chance to show what they can do against the Saints.

"I think for guys that are getting opportunity that maybe haven't had an opportunity, they're excited about the opportunity for some of these young guys that haven't played a lot of football just in the NFL in general," Daboll said. "I think each person is focused on what they can do, practice how they need to practice, prepare how they need to prepare, so they can go out there and put their best stuff on tape each and every week.

"Whether it's a guy like Casey Rogers, or Durden, who just got here, or some of the tackles that we've been repping in there. We wish we had Dexter and (tackle) Andrew Thomas and those guys, but we don't. That's the reality of the NFL. So, they're looking forward to the opportunity, which will be a big challenge."