New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton said tight end Jimmy Graham, who leads the team in receiving, missed Thursday's practice with a sore right ankle.
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Graham has 39 catches for 620 yards and three touchdowns, and last week, he became just the second tight end to have four consecutive games in the same season with 100 receiving yards or more, matching the feat accomplished by Tony Gonzalez in 2000.
Graham practiced Wednesday, but Payton said the tight end was having ankle soreness afterward and was given Thursday to rest.
Graham is in his second NFL season out of Miami, where he played power forward for the basketball team for four years before playing one season of college football.
Graham was one of six Saints starters to miss practice Thursday. Defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis (ankle), defensive end Turk McBride (shoulder), linebackers Jonathan Vilma (knee) and Will Herring (hamstring), and offensive tackle Zach Strief (knee) all sat out for a second consecutive day.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
