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Bills Announce Khalil Shakir Update After Personal News
Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Khalil Shakir and the Buffalo Bills hit the road for a Week 12 matchup against the Houston Texans on "Thursday Night Football." The team is looking to stay hot after defeating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 44-32 last week.

Despite the win, though, Shakir had his least productive game of the season. He was targeted three times, hauling in one reception for negative three yards. However, his availability to play against the Texans has been in question.

Shakir was a non-participant for all of the Bills' Week 12 practices due to a personal reason. It was for a good reason, though, because on Tuesday, his wife, Sayler, announced the birth of the couple's daughter, Sunny Haven Shakir.

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir.Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Shakir has been a key piece to Buffalo's explosive offense, and not having him on the field against Houston would be a big setback.

Luckily, on Wednesday, the Bills announced their official game status report, showing that despite not practicing all week, Shakir is set to play against the Texans.

This season, he's been the favorite for quarterback Josh Allen, leading the team in targets ( 61), receptions (46), yards (454) and tied for second in touchdowns (three).

Since being selected in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, Shakir and Allen have created a strong connection that continues to grow.

"He's an electric football player, and again, what I love about Khalil is he just does everything the right way," Allen said before the team's Week 8 win over the Carolina Panthers. "He works extremely hard. Easy to one, play with a guy like that, root for a guy like that and throw to a guy like that."

The Texans’ defense ranks third in passing yards per game allowed (171). That makes it even more crucial for Allen to have his top targets.

Shakir being good to go is especially important, given that tight end Dalton Kincaid and wide receivers Curtis Samuel and Mecole Hardman Jr. have been ruled out.

Kickoff is 8:15 p.m. ET at NRG Stadium, airing on Amazon Prime Video.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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