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By Nathan Kamal
Contributing Sports Writer
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Buffalo Bills wide receiver Amari Cooper will not play today against the Miami Dolphins, according to NFL Insider Ian Rapoport. The star player is listed as "questionable" on the Bills injury report, but all indications point to him being inactive for the game.
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Fans took notice earlier today when Cooper arrived at Highmark Stadium with his wrist conspicuously wrapped, indicating that the "questionable" status might actually lead to him being inactive.
That seems to have been borne out and it is not great news for the Bills offensive team. In addition to Cooper now apparently not playing, the team is short fullback Reggie Gilliam, who head coach Sean McDermott confirmed earlier this week is out with a hip injury. Wide receiver Curtis Samuel is also listed as "questionable" on the injury report, potentially leaving another hole in the offense.
The wide receiver was recently traded to the Bills from the Cleveland Browns (who received a third- and seventh-round pick for the player and a sixth-round pick) in hopes of boosting the team's wide receiver room. Almost immediately, he has been sidelined; Keon Coleman, Khalil Shakir, Mack Hollins, Curtis Samuel, and Jalen Virgil will hopefully pick up the slack.
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Cooper has been recognized as one of the top receivers in the league, but the difficulties faced by Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson have resulted in Cooper being underutilized. Currently, he has recorded 29 receptions, tying him for 34th among wide receivers. In terms of receiving yards, he has accumulated 319, which places him tied for 54th in that category. With three receiving touchdowns, he ranks tied for 16th among wide receivers.
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Cooper was selected by the Oakland Raiders as the fourth overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft following an impressive college career at the University of Alabama, where he earned the Biletnikoff Award as the nation's top receiver and earned unanimous All-American honors in 2014. Since then, he has cracked 1,000-yard seasons several times and was the first Browns wide receiver with multiple 1,000-yard seasons in team history.
It will remain to be seen how Cooper's absence will affect the Bills' performance against the Dolphins, but this cannot be what Buffalo was hoping for when it snagged the star player just a few weeks ago.
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