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Giants' Nicks, Smith, Bradshaw practice, appear likely to play

The New York Giants' offense seems likely to receive a triple dose of good news for Sunday's game against the Minnesota Vikings.

Giants coach Tom Coughlin said injured wide receivers Hakeem Nicks and Steve Smith, both of whom were limited at practice Thursday, are on track to return, and running back Ahmad Bradshaw also is expected to play.

Nicks, who leads the Giants (8-4) with 62 receptions for 800 yards and nine touchdowns this season, had stitches removed from his leg after undergoing surgery following a Week 11 loss at Philadelphia. Smith, a 2009 Pro Bowl pick, missed the previous four games because of a torn pectoral muscle.

Bradshaw, the Giants' leading rusher with a career-high 1,013 yards, has a wrist injury. After sitting out Wednesday's workout, he fully practiced Thursday.

"He's practicing, he's fine," Coughlin told the *Star-Ledger*. "He's got a sore wrist, but he'll work his way through it."

Said Bradshaw: "There's no problem. I won't have any problem with it this week."

Offensive tackle David Diehl practiced for the second consecutive day and appears ready to play against the Vikings (5-7). He has missed four games with hip and hamstring injuries.

"It's great to see (Diehl) out there practicing and that he's going to play this week," fellow lineman Rich Seubert said, according to the Giants' website. "I'm sure it's exciting for him. He's never missed a game in his career until this (injury) happened. So he wants to be out there. He's just done everything he can to get back out there. He looks good."

Said Diehl: "For me, being back out there with my teammates is what it's all about. We're brothers. We go and fight together. We do everything together, so it's awesome to be back out there with everybody."

Offensive tackle Shawn Andrews was the only Giants player to miss practice. He sat out the last two games with a back problem.

"He is not ready yet, but he is better -- he is getting better," Coughlin said.

Said Andrews: "(I'm) just rehabbing, working on my core strength, working on my lower body to kind of help out the lower back and stuff. I lost almost 15 pounds, so that helps as well."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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