Buffalo Bills star wide receiver Sammy Watkins aggravated a hamstring injury at practice yesterday and did not get back to the field on Thursday of Friday, but he was able to move well during pre-game warm-ups and played against the Kansas City Chiefs. However, Watkins clearly looked hampered on his injury and was ineffective with just four receptions for 27 yards on ten targets. Fred Jackson also played after being highly questionable with a groin injury, but it marks yet another time in which the veteran has returned earlier than expected from a significant injury (he tore his adductor longus in Week 7 and was expected to return in Week 12).
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Both Watkins and Jackson don’t have much time to recover before a turn-around this week, as they must face the rival Miami Dolphins on Thursday Night Football. However, both players seem healthy and have shown no ill-effects of the injury, as WGR 550’s Joe Buscaglia reports that both players are practicing today. Although the Bills didn’t hold practice yesterday, the league requires an injury report to be released, and Watkins was listed as “full” yesterday with Jackson listed as a limited participant.
They should both be full-gos on Thursday against the Dolphins, and neither player has an easy matchup on tap. Calvin Johnson put up some good numbers last week due to his size, but Dolphins elite CB Brent Grimes was excellent and had a ridiculous INT to add to his career highlight reel. Watkins needs to be fully healthy in order to match up well with Grimes, so that will be one of many storylines to watch for in what should be an interesting AFC East battle.