Tyreek Hill (clavicle) a game-time decision as Sammy Watkins ruled doubtful
As the expression goes, when one door shuts, another opens.
The Kansas City Chiefs are hoping that will be the case, as receiver Sammy Watkins remains doubtful to play against the Houston Texans on Sunday but Tyreek Hill has been upgraded to a game-time decision.
Head coach Andy Reid spoke with the media on Friday and remained hopeful that Hill would return for the first time since suffering a clavicle injury in Week 1. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport also added that the team is “optimistic” that he can play, although they still need to run more scans to make sure his bone is properly healed.
“He did OK,” Reid said of Hill's practice week, via ESPN. “He did a little scout team. He did a few plays with [the starters] on the offensive side. We’ll see how it all rolls down the road here. We’ve got to make sure the docs are OK with it.”
[Watch live NFL games all season long for free on the Yahoo Sports app]
Watkins couldn’t finish the first quarter of last week’s game against the Indianapolis Colts, when he aggravated a hamstring injury that he suffered two days previously in practice. Without Watkins, quarterback Patrick Mahomes had a season-low 56.4 percent completion rate, and the Chiefs lost their first game of the year while only scoring 13 points.
Hill is a far superior talent with game-changing speed that can open the Chiefs’ playbook. However, it’s possible that if he plays he may not be available for every single down.
With or without Hill, the Chiefs will have to lean on All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce and a group of unproven wideouts. Rookie speedster Mecole Hardman has the most potential but has yet to haul in more than four catches in any game. After that, there’s Demarcus Robinson and Byron Pringle.
Chiefs-Texans figures to be a shootout, so Mahomes could use every weapon he can get his hands on.
More from Yahoo Sports:
