One of Sunday's marquee matchups will be without two of its stars.
Odell Beckham's much-anticipated and long-awaited return to the playing field is on hold for at least another week.
The Browns wide receiver is inactive for Week 1 against the Chiefs. That wasn't the plan coming into the weekend. OBJ warmed up Sunday morning but didn't feel quite ready, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported. Cleveland coach Kevin Stefanski wanted to see a set number of plays from the former Pro Bowler before committing to using him, Rapoport added.
Beckham, who's been sidelined since tearing his ACL last October, had been limited in practice leading up to the opener and has yet to participate in contact drills. Still, he's expected to be ready soon, per Rapoport. His absence could lead to expanded roles for Rashard Higgins and rookie Donovan Peoples-Jones.
A prominent Chiefs defender who would have been battling with Beckham has also been ruled out. Safety Tyrann Mathieu is inactive despite being activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list. Kansas City opted to play it smart with Honey Badger after he'd been idle for more than a week, NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reported.
The veteran Pro Bowler was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list on Sept. 1 following a positive test. The Chiefs are expected to lean on reserve safety Armani Watts with Mathieu sidelined.
