Week 16 of the NFL season is here, and the Buffalo Bills will face the Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday Night Football. The game, which will be a Peacock exclusive, will kick off at 8 p.m. ET.
With the Bills fighting for a spot in the AFC playoffs, they need every win they can get. Is Damar Hamlin playing?
Will Damar Hamlin Play Against the Los Angeles Chargers?
Hamlin has been in the NFL since 2021 when he was taken in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Bills. He is most notably known for when he suffered cardiac arrest after making a tackle on Jan. 2, 2023.
Since his incident, he has made a full recovery and returned to the team. So far in 2023, he has played in four games and started none. He has made just two solo tackles. Hamlin has taken just 16 defensive snaps (6%) to 76 special teams snaps (66%).
MORE: Buffalo Bills Depth Chart
He is expected to be active against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 16, but it is unlikely he will receive much defensive playing time.
In Hamlin’s career, he has played in 33 total games. He has 95 total tackles, six tackles for loss, three quarterback hits, four pass deflections, one forced fumble, and 1.5 sacks. He started 13 games in 2022 before suffering cardiac arrest.
Hamlin was born and raised in McKees Rocks, Pa. He attended Central Catholic High School, where he was named first-team All-State and the Class AAA Defensive Player of the Year. He later committed to the University of Pittsburgh, where he spent five seasons.
In his college career, Hamlin totaled 275 combined tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 21 pass deflections, six interceptions, and one fumble recovery. He earned ACC Co-Defensive Back of the Week honors during his final season with Pitt.
According to Fox Sports, Hamlin is a significant favorite to win the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year. He has -600 odds, with the second-best odds being Joe Flacco at +1000. The most recent winners of the award were Geno Smith in 2022, Joe Burrow in 2021, and Alex Smith in 2020.
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