Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Rashad Fenton and right tackle Lucas Niang will return to practice on Wednesday, ahead of the team’s Week 13 game against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.
“They’re gonna try it this week and get some work,” said Chiefs head coach Andy Reid. “We’ll just see how they do… they’re going to practice. They’re going to work it out.”
Fenton strained his knee in the Chiefs’ Week 11 game against the Dallas Cowboys before the bye week and did not play in the team’s next game against the Denver Broncos. Niang has been out since injuring his ribs in the team’s Week 9 game against the Green Bay Packers.
Fenton is in the midst of a breakout season for the Chiefs — one that has Pro Football Focus grading him among the likes of Los Angeles Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey, who is widely considered one of the league’s best defensive backs. Fenton enters the game to play outside cornerback in the nickel look as L’Jarius Sneed slides into the slot.
Niang began the season as the Chiefs’ starter at right tackle before being replaced by veteran Mike Remmers after five games. The rookie reclaimed his starting position for two games when Remmers got hurt — and until the most-recent injury, it seemed to once again be his job to lose. Niang tried to return to practice last Wednesday but sat out the rest of the week.
With Niang and Remmers out of action, it has been five-year veteran Andrew Wylie stepping in at right tackle.
“We look at Andrew like a starter,” said Reid. “Right? I mean, that’s how we do with him and some of the other guys — really, that whole second group has started in this league, so we have no problem putting guys in. Somebody gets hurt or whatever, we have full confidence that they’ll go in and play well.”
Wylie has improved in each game in his starting role, allowing nine pressures against Las Vegas in Week 10 and six pressures against Dallas in Week 11 before allowing just one pressure against Denver in Week 13.
“Andrew competes, and he’s going to fight you,” noted Reid. “And [right tackle’s] probably not his natural position. His natural position is probably more inside than outside, but he doesn’t blink at it.”
The Chiefs added that cornerback and special-teams ace Chris Lammons is expected to miss some time with a high-ankle sprain. Reid mentioned practice squad cornerback Josh Jackson as a candidate to fill his role on Sunday.
