Injuries have plagued the career of Kansas City Chiefs WR Sammy Watkins, but the latest one doesn’t appear to be something that will keep him from the field for very long.
Watkins suffered a calf injury in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons. According to a new report from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Watkins avoided any sort of major injury that would keep him out for a significant period of time. With a rest week expected in Week 17 and the first-round bye for the Chiefs, Rapoport says that there will be a good chance that Watkins is ready to return for the divisional round of the playoffs.
#Chiefs WR Sammy Watkins suffered a calf injury yesterday, but the belief is he did not suffer a major injury, source said. He’ll likely rest next week, then have the bye. Good chance he’s back by that point.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 28, 2020
It’s perhaps most important to have Watkins healthy and available for the playoffs because that is when he’s done his best work with the team. In his two seasons in Kansas City, Watkins has combined for 24 catches for 464 yards and one touchdown. He’s come up with a number of clutch receptions during those games too, earning the nickname “Playoff Sammy” among many Chiefs fans.
Watkins’ status bears watching despite this report. Earlier this season, he was knocked out in Week 5 with a hamstring injury. He attempted to return in Week 11 but suffered a calf injury during practice that kept him out another week. The Chiefs would obviously like to have Watkins at his best, but would they be willing to play him if he’s not 100% healthy in his return?
We’ll find out more about his status in the coming weeks.
