NFL Stars Race the Clock as Training Camps Open

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By lines

July 16, 2026

NFL Stars Race the Clock as Training Camps Open

NFL training camp injuries headline the offseason as several stars race to heal. Patrick Mahomes, Malik Nabers and George Kittle all target Week 1 availability. Camps open across the league in late July. Camp reps will show whether each veteran is ready for contact.

Which Injured Stars Are Trending Toward Week 1

Most NFL teams open training camp in the final full week of July. Veterans on the mend headline the storylines at several camps. The Chiefs, Giants and 49ers each nurse a marquee injury. Health at these positions swings playoff odds across three divisions. Coaches will ramp up reps slowly to protect the recovering stars.

Patrick Mahomes tore his ACL late in the 2025 season, per multiple reports. The Kansas City Chiefs quarterback still targets the Week 1 Monday night opener. Kansas City hosts the Denver Broncos, the reigning AFC West champion, in that game. Coach Andy Reid previously kept Mahomes out of full 11-on-11 team drills. The Chiefs open camp in late July at Missouri Western State University.

Malik Nabers faces a longer road back for the New York Giants. The wide receiver underwent ACL reconstruction and meniscus surgery last October. Nabers needed a spring procedure to clear scar tissue from the same knee. The Giants expect Nabers to work into camp in some fashion. That timeline could limit Nabers to minimal missed time in September. Nabers posted a standout rookie season for the Giants in 2024.

George Kittle brings the most optimism among the recovering stars. The San Francisco 49ers tight end tore his Achilles in a January playoff game. Achilles rehab often runs an 8 to 12 month window. Kittle sits ahead of that schedule and eyes Week 1. The 49ers count on Kittle as a top target for quarterback Brock Purdy. Kittle ranks among the NFL’s most productive tight ends.

These three injuries touch three would-be contenders in different conferences. The Chiefs lean on Mahomes for another AFC title push. The Giants built their passing attack around Nabers and his production. The 49ers need Kittle to stabilize an offense that stalled without him. Each timeline shapes the win totals oddsmakers post before Week 1.

Camp practices will reveal how each star moves in team drills. Reporters will track Mahomes in 11-on-11 work at Chiefs camp first. Nabers and Kittle will show whether their knees and Achilles hold up. Week 1 kicks off in early September for all three teams. Preseason snaps between now and then will settle the final questions. Each team reports to camp within the next two weeks.