Chiefs vs. Bears injury report: Damien Williams returns, Andrew Wylie out

The Kansas City Chiefs are going to be without cornerback Morris Claiborne and guard Andrew Wylie heading into Week 16 against the Bears.

The Kansas City Chiefs injury list is looking sunnier than it did a week ago with running back Damien Williams and cornerback Rashad Fenton returning to the line-up after missing multiple games apiece. However, the Chiefs will still be without a couple key contributors against the host Chicago Bears on Sunday night.

The Chiefs official injury report designates that both starting left guard Andrew Wylie and cornerback Mo Claiborne will both miss the Sunday Night Football matchup in primetime.

Wylie has already missed three weeks during the season’s midsection after going down against the Indianapolis Colts with an ankle injury. The injury report notes that Wylie is also dealing with shoulder and ankle concerns now as well as an illness. Stefen Wisniewski provides the Chiefs a reliable veteran on the bench who can step in and take the starter’s reps.

Claiborne will miss his third straight game on Sunday with a shoulder injury. The Chiefs have watched their defense perform well in pass coverage in recent weeks even without Claiborne and Fenton, so they should be able to remain patient for Claiborne to work his way back for the postseason without any major rush.

Speaking of Fenton, it will be nice to see him work in some more regular season reps before the season ends. As a sixth round rookie, it will aid his long-term development and offseason training plan by taking advantage of each new game’s worth of reps. He’s impressed as an unexpected contributor so early and looks like he could be a long-term answer in Kendall Fuller‘s slot role (if he’s allowed to leave in free agency). However, more reps will only help the Chiefs answer those questions thoughtfully during offseason evaluation.

It’s important to note that Damien Williams also returns on Sunday and gives the Chiefs a trustworthy back who is appreciated for what he brings in all facets of the game by the coaching staff. Andy Reid has made it clear how he values Williams as an all-around option in the backfield. His presence helps a unit that’s been thin in recent weeks, bolstered at least by the signing of Spencer Ware off the street.

The Bears will be without starting right tackle Bobby Massey and wide receiver Taylor Gabriel on Sunday, who have both been declared out. Cornerback Prince Amukamara has also been labeled as questionable as well as defensive tackle Akiem Hicks.