| Detroit Free Press
Already down their No. 1 receiver, the Detroit Lions practiced Thursday without their top tight end as well.
T.J. Hockenson, who leads the Lions with 34 catches this season, missed practice Thursday because of a toe injury.
Hockenson, in his second NFL season, has emerged as one of Matthew Stafford’s most reliable targets. He had 32 catches in 12 games as a rookie, when he missed the final month of the season with an ankle injury that lingered into the summer.
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This year, Hockenson has started all eight games. He has a team-high five touchdown catches and 360 yards.
Wide receiver Kenny Golladay is expected to miss his second straight game Sunday against Washington because of a hip injury he suffered in a Nov. 1 loss to the Indianapolis Colts.
The Lions (3-5) are 0-3 this season without Golladay, who missed the first two games of the year with a strained hamstring.
“Sometimes the player’s going to want to push (his injury) and get out there even quicker because they’re competitive, and certainly Kenny is in that boat,” Lions coach Matt Patricia said. “He always wants to be on the field and wants to practice. He wants to play. So we just have to try to be smart with it.”
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Nick Williams (shoulder) and Everson Griffen (non-injury related) returned to practice Thursday after sitting out Wednesday, and safety Tracy Walker (foot) was a full participant for the first time since before the Colts game.
Walker did not play last week against the Minnesota Vikings.
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.