The San Diego Chargers will have an important offensive weapon for their playoff clash Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals, as wide receiver Eddie Royal is active for the game, Steve Wyche is reporting.
Royal did not practice this week due to a toe injury, but will be available for the Sunday afternoon contest. After starting his career with the Broncos, the sixth-year veteran out of Virginia Tech came to San Diego in 2012, and is having arguably the most successful season of his career.
Despite starting only five games, Royal has caught 47 passes for 631 yards and eight touchdowns. His 91-reception, 980-yard rookie season is hard to replicate without a starting role (he started 15 games that season), but the eight touchdowns are a new career high, as is the 13.4 yards per catch average. Royal has also moved away from the return game, allowing him to better focus on the receiving aspects of his game, and that has shown this season.
Nose tackle Sean Lissemore is not active for the Chargers, but rookie nose tackle Kwame Geathers is for the first time since Week 10.
More from SB Nation NFL
• SB Nation's 2014 NFL playoff coverage and brackets
• Kelly: Watch for these signature plays during Wild Card weekend
• Super Bowl odds for every possible matchup | NFL coaching tracker
• 2014 NFL mock draft: Offseason planning begins for 20 teams
• Death of a football player: Helmet-to-helmet hit killed Derek Sheely