On Tuesday, the Kansas City Chiefs got good news when the team officially opened the practice window for RB Isiah Pacheco and DE Charles Omenihu.

Just because those two players are returning to practice this week, it doesn’t mean either will be available to play in their Week 11 game against the Buffalo Bills. Pacheco returns from a lower leg injury after being placed on injured reserve ahead of Week 3. Omenihu is returning nine months post-operation from an ACL tear suffered in the AFC Championship Game last season.

Chiefs HC Andy Reid confirmed both players would return to the practice field before things got underway on Wednesday. Reid hinted as much on Monday, but he made it official before the practice week began.

“Alright, as far as the injuries go, Charles (Omenihu) and (Isiah) Pacheco will start working today, and we’ll just gradually build them up as we go,” Reid told reporters. “And that’s really it. Everybody else is practicing.”

Asked directly whether Pacheco and Omenihu would play in Week 11 against the Bills, Reid didn’t put the cart in front of the horse.

“Unlikely,” Reid said.

It’s not unreasonable to proceed with caution here. Both players are coming back from significant injuries. The last thing Reid would want is to see either Pacheco or Omenihu suffer a setback because he knows how important each player will be down the stretch for this team.

Reid will get an opportunity to see both players at practice for three days before discussing things with Rick Burkholder and officially deciding on their status for Week 11. Perhaps one player surprises and is activated for Sunday’s pivotal AFC showdown in Buffalo. But Chiefs fans should heed Reid’s caution and not get hopes up for either player making their return to the gridiron this week.