ALAMEDA – Javon Walker is ready to test his injured left hamstring against the Denver Broncos.
The Raiders' starting wide receiver practiced Saturday for the first time since Wednesday, when he was a limited participant.
Raiders coach Lane Kiffin said the status of Walker, and defensive end Kalimba Edwards (groin) would be decided Monday, but he was optimistic both would play. Both are listed as questionable on the injury report.
"They did everything and both of them ran," Kiffin said. "We'll continue to look at them (today), but both of them seem fine to me."
Edwards is the Raiders' nickel defensive end, replacing starter Jay Richardson in passing situations. That makes a decision on Edwards less pressing.
Because Walker would need to run a lot more than Edwards, Kiffin is being cautious.
"It's not the ideal situation," Kiffin said. "There's some risks with it whenever a guy doesn't practice very much during the week. There's the risk of re-injuring it as well, so we'll look at all of it up to an hour and a half before kickoff."
Walker said he believes the rest this week was beneficial. He added that, when injured in the past, he managed to play without practice.
"I was able to rest early in the week and then kind of jog around on Friday and then go out, know my assignments, and then play on Sunday," Walker said. "Sometimes that's what happens. I've been in that predicament before."
Walker will have to run on the infield dirt at McAfee Coliseum on Monday. He had never had to run and plant on dirt until he played for the Raiders in the exhibition season.
Walker said the dirt wouldn't be an extra concern with his injury.
"You're worried about planting in the dirt regardless of an injury or no injury because you just don't want to fall," Walker said. "Being injured or not injured, you're cautious about it the whole time during the course of a game."
More receiver news – Johnnie Lee Higgins is the Raiders' No. 3 wide receiver, but Ashley Lelie is quickly making an impression.
"He's a professional and you can see by the way he prepares and how fast he's picked everything up," Kiffin said of Lelie.
• Higgins will return kickoffs and punts, but Darren McFadden remains an option on kickoffs, for which he has practiced.
Read Jason Jones' Raiders' blog at www.sacbee.com/raidersblog .
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