Bills WR Watkins set to make return
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) Buffalo Bills wide receiver Sammy Watkins will make his long-awaited return this Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Bills' top wideout has missed the last two months after aggravating a left foot injury, and was placed on injured reserve in Week 3. He returned to practice on Wednesday and made it through the entire week without any setbacks.
''The team, the fans, all of us, it's great to get him back out there, no doubt,'' Bills coach Rex Ryan said.
Watkins is expected to be eased back into the lineup due to a lack of conditioning. On Wednesday, he said that stamina and conditioning were his biggest concerns, not pain.
''He won't have a full workload, but we're definitely going to get him in there,'' Ryan said.
Watkins' return comes at a critical time for the Bills. Buffalo will be without fellow receiver Robert Woods, who sprained a knee in the team's Week 11 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Woods had been Buffalo's top receiver by default in Watkins' absence.
Buffalo is last in the league in passing.
Running back LeSean McCoy (left thumb) is also expected to play. McCoy underwent thumb surgery Sunday night, but the Bills have not expected the injury to keep him out of the lineup.
''I think his thumb's fine; I think he'll be ready to get the majority of the reps,'' Ryan said.
Buffalo's No. 2 running back, Mike Gillislee, is out with a hamstring injury. Safety Robert Blanton (foot) is also out.
Receiver Percy Harvin is questionable after missing two days of practice due to an illness.
''He's trying so hard to get back,'' Ryan said. ''I'm hopeful he'll be able to get back, but he wasn't able to practice the last couple of days.''
Linebacker Lorenzo Alexander (ankle), defensive tackle Corbin Bryant (shoulder), left tackle Cordy Glenn (back), offensive tackle Seantrel Henderson (non-football situation) and tight end Charles Clay (knee) are questionable.
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