Victor Cruz expects to be ready when the lights go on.

Despite the possibility of missing the entire preseason because of a nagging right calf injury, the Giants wide receiver plans to be in uniform against the Cowboys on Sept. 13 for the regular-season opener.

“I should be out there ready to go for Dallas,” he said.

When he returns the practice field, however, is uncertain.

Cruz tore his right patellar tendon last year and has reported no issue with the surgically repaired knee that cost him the final 10 games of last season. But he didn’t practice Tuesday because of the calf — he first sustained the injury eight days ago — and Giants coach Tom Coughlin said he isn’t sure when Cruz will be back.

“I’m concerned,” Coughlin said. “Obviously there were a few slotted [practice] spots there that didn’t take place. I would like to see him get out there and be able to stay out there. That’s what our real intent is.”

Cruz said there is inflammation in the calf and the trainers want to make sure he is 100 percent before giving him the green light. Cruz had described the injury as minor last week and predicted he would practice on Tuesday. That wasn’t the case.

He didn’t appear in the first preseason game out of precaution and was held out of last Saturday’s contest because a result of the calf. While Cruz said it is important to get reps during the preseason, he also doesn’t want to risk further injuring the calf. It’s a delicate balance.

“You want to make sure that you stay healthy and you’re out there at 100 percent,” he said. “You never want to go out there and not be at your best, because that’s how you get injured. Obviously, the next phase for me was getting back out on that field and getting back to playing again.

“I feel like once I’m out there, once the adrenaline is kicking in, once I get hit one time — I mean, it’s football, at the end of the day. It’s a game I’ve been playing since I was young, so I just have to go out there and do it. I think part of that is being healthy, which is what I’m working hard toward.”

Coughlin said he wasn’t ready to rule out Cruz for Saturday’s showdown against the Jets, though unless he gets back on the practice field the next few days, it would seem like a long shot. If Cruz isn’t able to play against the Jets, Coughlin said Cruz could appear in the final preseason game against the Patriots.

“We just have to have X number of days practicing before that is going to happen,” Coughlin said. “It has to be something to build up to it, so we know he’s ready to go.”

“It’s great [if he plays in a preseason game], but if it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen. Odell [Beckham Jr.] didn’t have a preseason game last year. You want him to play. That’s what the plan is. If it doesn’t work out that way, then what’s the next thing? We can’t worry about something that, right now, is not within our control.”

Cruz is convinced, whether he plays in a preseason game or not, he’ll be on the field catching passes from Eli Manning in Dallas on Sept. 13. After all, when he’s been on the practice field, Cruz has been effective.

“I feel good,” he said, “I feel confident that I’ll be OK Week 1.”