Robert Foster moved up on the Buffalo Bills' depth chart when the NFL team released wide receivers Kelvin Benjamin and Andre Holmes on Tuesday.

Benjamin and Holmes had played the second- and third-most snaps, respectively, among the Bills' wide receivers this season. But with Buffalo at 4-8 and out of postseason contention with four games remaining in the regular season, the Bills are looking ahead.

“We have young receivers that have stepped up in the past couple of weeks and showed some signs of their potential,” Bills coach Sean McDermott said. “Our commitment to them is to give them better opportunities. To see them build a relationship with (rookie quarterback) Josh (Allen), to see them develop, that’s important as we move forward -- that we understand that we close out this season one game at a time, wherever that takes us, that we understand what our young players are, who they are. Can they develop? Are they important pieces for us as we move forward in our organization?

"We’re going to move forward and develop these young players. Like I said, they’ve earned the right to be given more opportunities.”

An undrafted rookie from Alabama, Foster has caught eight passes for 256 yards and one touchdown in 2018. He’s gotten six of those receptions, 226 of those yards and the touchdown in the past three games.

“Anything can happen -- free agent, first round, second round, it doesn’t matter," Foster said of the opportunity. "It’s real; this is the business. You’ve got to embrace every opportunity that you get and show up on Sundays.”

After being waived by the Bills six games into the season and spending three weeks on Buffalo's practice squad, Foster returned to post the team's first 100-yard receiving game in more than a year in a 41-10 victory over the New York Jets on Nov. 11.

He followed that with two receptions for 94 yards, including a 75-yard touchdown, in a 24-21 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Nov. 25.

Last week, the Bills lost to the Miami Dolphins 21-17, but Foster's fourth-quarter reception for 27 yards helped Buffalo make a game of it.

Foster has played about half the Bills' offensive snaps since his return. His playing time should increase now that he's probably Buffalo's No. 2 wide receiver behind Zay Jones, who leads the team with 41 receptions for 459 yards and four touchdowns.

Foster will take the field for the first time in his new role on Sunday, when the Jets visit Buffalo. Foster had three receptions for 105 yards just about one month ago against New York.

The Jets and Bills kick off at noon CST Sunday at New Era Field in Orchard Park, New York.

The Jets have a 3-9 record and have lost six games in a row.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.