Giants get encouraging injury news as key stars trend toward return after brutal Rams loss

It actually could have been worse.  Get texts from Paul Schwartz with all the latest Giants news and insights, exclusive to Sports+ subscribers.That’s the overall assessment of the Giants’ final injury report of Week 3, which comes after Monday’s loss to the Rams included a handful of their most important players missing all or some of the game. In addition to QB Jaxson Dart’s season-ending knee injury, OLB Brian Burns (ankle), CB Deonte Banks (calf) and S Tyler Nubin (calf) are questionable. But Banks is expecting to play Sunday against the Titans rather than be inactive for the second straight game. “Hell, yeah,” Banks told The Post.

“I’m feeling better than last week.” The forecast isn’t as optimistic for Burns, who did not participate in any practices this week but was working on the side with trainers Friday. LT Andrew Thomas (groin) and WR Malik Nabers (shoulder) are out of the woods. Thomas was injured on the Giants’ final drive and limped to the sideline medical tent but said he would have returned if the Rams hadn’t run out the final six minutes.He was a full participant Friday after missing Thursday’s practice. “They held me out, I guess to give me another day to recover,” Thomas said.

“It was sore right after the game, but feel good today.” Nabers is ready to go after an X-ray on his dislocated shoulder showed encouraging results. “It’s not something we have to manage from a football standpoint,” head coach John Harbaugh said, “as far as plays or like maybe keeping him on the right side of the field or the left side of the field or something like that.” Nubin could be replaced by Ar’Darius Washington, who has played just two defensive snaps. DT Shelby Harris was upgraded from limited to full participation. “All of us are always trying to play,” Thomas said.“Obviously, you have to put your body first.

All those guys are trying to step up for Jameis [Winston].I hate what happened to Dar...