Tyreek Hill (clavicle) ruled out for Week 5 despite practicing for third straight day
Despite the wide receiver practicing for a third straight day, the Kansas City Chiefs are ruling out Tyreek Hill for Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts.
Hill has been out since suffering a clavicle injury in the season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars, although head coach Andy Reid is optimistic about his return soon.
“He got out and mixed it up and worked in some team periods,” Reid said, via ESPN. “He did a nice job, but he’s just not ready to go yet. ... He wants to play but at the same time it’s not your normal injury that you have. We’ve just got to make sure that he's right and you don't have any setbacks.”
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Without Hill, the Chiefs have gotten off to a 4-0 start, but the last few weeks have been close calls. They narrowly edged the Baltimore Ravens at home in Week 3, 33-28, and staved off the Detroit Lions last week, 34-30, in a game that featured five fumbles.
In Hill's absence, Sammy Watkins has emerged as a downfield threat, while Demarcus Robinson and Mecole Hardman have shown flashes of brilliance. Among players with at least eight receptions this season, both Hardman (20.9, third) and Robinson (17.9, 12th) rank among the top receivers in yards per reception.
Still, Hill’s talent is hard to replace, as evidenced by how the team has handled him. Despite a child abuse investigation following an already checkered past that might’ve sunk a less talented player, the Chiefs rewarded him with a $54 million extension in September.
Chiefs will get another weapon back vs. the Colts
The Chiefs did receive some good news on Friday, though, as running back Damien Williams will be available for Sunday’s game. The team’s starting running back has missed each of the last two games with a knee contusion.
Williams will likely go back to splitting carries with LeSean McCoy, who has been nothing short of impressive in his brief time in Kansas City. McCoy has 214 yards on 40 carries (5.3 yards per attempt) with another 87 receiving yards coming on nine receptions.
Williams, 27, is off to a slow start this season with only 34 yards on 22 carries in the first two games of the season, but he finished 11th in the league among backs with at least 50 carries last season at 5.1 yards per carry.
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