Buffalo Bills Injury Report: Week 12 vs Houston Texans
It’s Week 12 and the Buffalo Bills injury report comes into sharp focus as the team heads to Houston for a crucial Thursday Night Football matchup against the Texans. The Bills (7–3) are riding a tidal wave of momentum after Josh Allen delivered a historic six-touchdown performance that reignited Buffalo’s offense and the confidence of Bills Mafia. The Texans (5–5) remain in the AFC playoff hunt behind a strong, disciplined defense, but they’ll be without starting quarterback C.J. Stroud, a major storyline heading into primetime. With Houston’s defense looking to slow the tempo and Buffalo aiming to stay red-hot on offense, this Week 12 showdown could determine which team gains control of their postseason destiny.
The Buffalo Bills injury report for Week 12 confirms three players officially ruled OUT: tight end Dalton Kincaid, wide receiver Curtis Samuel, and wide receiver Mecole Hardman Jr. Kincaid’s absence again tests Buffalo’s depth at tight end, while Samuel and Hardman leave the Bills lighter at receiver and returner heading into a primetime road game. Only one player is listed as QUESTIONABLE, defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis, though his status may be more about depth chart competition than health after defensive tackle T.J. Sanders returned last week. And speaking of depth, the Bills still have several players on Injured Reserve (IR), including DE Landon Jackson, DT Ed Oliver, DE Michael Hoecht, SAF Damar Hamlin, DT DeWayne Carter, CB Dorian Strong, OT Tylan Grable, K Tyler Bass, and SAF Taylor Rapp. With key contributors still sidelined, Buffalo will once again need to lean on depth and discipline to keep their momentum alive in Houston.
The Houston Texans enter Week 12 with a heavily depleted roster, listing 17 players on their injury report. That’s a number that makes Buffalo’s extensive list suddenly feel more manageable. Among the three players officially OUT are starting quarterback C.J. Stroud and safety Jalen Pitre, along with special teams linebacker Jamal Hill. The Texans are also missing several key contributors due to IR or PUP designations, including wide receiver Tank Dell, running back Joe Mixon, and safety Jimmie Ward, leaving Houston shorthanded on both sides of the ball heading into Thursday night’s matchup.
OUT
TE Dalton Kincaid
The often-injured tight end remains a regular on the Buffalo Bills injury report, still battling the hamstring strain he suffered against the Dolphins. After logging just 18 snaps in that game, Kincaid missed last week entirely and was a DNP in every practice session this week, officially ruling him OUT for the Week 12 matchup in Houston. The Bills continue to manage his workload behind Dawson Knox and Jackson Hawes, but his durability remains a concern despite his value in Buffalo’s passing attack. There is optimism he could begin ramping up his activity next week, though his return will be TBD and dependent on how well he responds to rehab. With the average return-to-play timeline for hamstring strains around 13 days (Strive Tech), Kincaid is nearing that window, but Buffalo will be cautious given his injury history and offensive importance down the stretch.
Mecole Hardman Jr.
In his first game as a Buffalo Bill, Mecole Hardman Jr. provided an immediate spark in the return game and even saw four offensive snaps, including a deep target from Josh Allen, before a fumbled punt return resulted a left calf injury that now lands him on the Buffalo Bills injury report. Hardman was a DNP all week and has officially been ruled OUT for the Week 12 matchup, with early expectations suggesting he may also miss next week. Calf strains typically require 2–3 weeks of recovery (Werner BC et al., 2017). The timing is unfortunate, as his speed and special-teams impact were beginning to fill a key role, leaving the Bills hoping this setback is brief rather than another long-term absence.
WR Curtis Samuel
Wide receiver Curtis Samuel lands on the Buffalo Bills injury report this week with both elbow and neck injuries, and was a DNP in every practice session, officially ruling him OUT for Week 12. It’s the second time this season his neck has flared up, adding to a frustrating injury history that continues to interrupt his momentum. The timing is especially tough, as Samuel is coming off his highest snap share of the season (50%), finally finding rhythm in Buffalo’s offense before this setback. With his reliability once again in question,, the Bills will need to rely on depth pieces to fill a role Samuel was just beginning to solidify.
QUESTIONABLE
Phidarian Mathis
Defensive tackle Phidarian Mathis missed Week 11 after being a full DNP all week with a shoulder injury, a surprise given he logged a season-high 40% snap share the game prior. Thankfully, he showed signs of progress this week, stacking back-to-back limited practices on Tuesday and Wednesday, earning him a QUESTIONABLE tag on the Buffalo Bills injury report for Week 12. However, even if healthy, Mathis may find himself as the odd man out, as the return of DT T.J. Sanders last week appears to have pushed him down the depth chart, to DT6. His availability may ultimately depend more on roster math than recovery, making his status one to monitor more for depth purposes than expected production.
ALSO LISTED (ACTIVE)
CB Christian Benford
Cornerback Christian Benford returned to action in Week 11 after missing previous week’s game due to a groin injury that flared up in practice prior to the Dolphins matchup. He was able to participate in Week 11 at 100% snap share, proving he can perform despite lingering issues. This week, Benford was limited in practice earlier in the week but returned as a full participant on Wednesday, earning him an active designation for Thursday Night Football against the Texans. Bills fans should continue to monitor him cautiously, as groin troubles have followed him since training camp, though his availability this week brings stability back to Buffalo’s secondary.
CB Taron Johnson
Cornerback Taron Johnson returned to the field for Week 11 after battling a lingering groin injury that sidelined him for the two previous games. He made his comeback, logging a 73% snap share, right where he left off prior to the injury, showing no drop-off. This week, Johnson was limited in practice early but was able to ramp up to full participation, earning him an active designation for Thursday Night Football against the Texans. His return provides a boost to Buffalo’s nickel corner rotation, stabilizing a position that had been thin during his absence.
LB Terrel Bernard
Linebacker Terrel Bernard remains on the Buffalo Bills injury report due to lingering effects from a right ankle injury suffered in Week 6 against the Falcons. Last week, he played a full 100% of defensive snaps, though he appeared to favor his right ankle at times, showing subtle signs of discomfort. This week, Bernard was limited in practice earlier but was able to ramp up to full participation on Wednesday, earning him an active designation for Thursday Night Football against the Texans.
DE Joey Bosa
Last week, we noted that Joey Bosa played Week 10 with a full club on his left wrist. In contrast, he ditched the club in favor of wrist braces against the Buccaneers and still logged 61% of the snaps, showing improved range of motion and confidence in the wrist.
However, this week tells a different story. Bosa was spotted at practice with a cast on his wrist/thumb area, suggesting a setback or confirmation of an underlying fracture. He was limited earlier in the week but upgraded to a full participant, but with renewed protection on that hand. Bills fans should expect him to play with some sort of cast or support again as the Bills continue to manage the injury week-to-week.
C Connor McGovern
Connor McGovern appeared on the Buffalo Bills injury report after getting rolled up on late in last week’s matchup against the Buccaneers. Despite the scare, he finished the game with a 100% snap share, a strong sign that the injury is mild.
The mechanism of injury closely resembles a high ankle sprain, which is concerning for most positions, but his ability to stay on the field and practice (though limited) suggests a low-grade sprain. He was able to ramp up later in the week and is clear to play, but his status should still be monitored moving forward, especially given the physical demands at center.
WR Joshua Palmer
Joshua Palmer returned to action last week after missing three games (five weeks of recovery) due to a suspected high ankle sprain and mild MCL sprain sustained in Week 6 against Atlanta. His timeline aligned well with the typical 4–6 week recovery window for high ankle sprains (Clanton et al., 2000), and he looked healthy enough to resume his usual role.
He played 50% of the snaps in Week 11, right in line with his season average, and was able to finish the game without setbacks. This week, Palmer logged limited practices early but ramped up and is officially good to go. With multiple pass catchers banged up and key vacancies expected (Shakir, Samuel, Coleman), it will be very interesting to monitor whether his snap share increases.
WR Khalil Shakir
Khalil Shakir is listed this week only for personal reasons, as he was DNP all week following the birth of his child. He will be active Thursday night, but his role may be in question due to the missed practice time and his recent injury history.
Last week, Shakir entered the Buccaneers matchup battling rib and ankle issues, which limited him for most of the practice week. Though he ultimately returned to full participation before Week 11, he wore a red non-contact jersey earlier in the week and was likely still recovering. That showed on gameday as he was mostly invisible and tied a season low with just 30 total snaps.
Rib injuries typically require 1–2 weeks of recovery, and his ankle remains a lingering concern, potentially linked to the issue that sidelined him for nearly a month during the summer. Now, with a full week away from practice and two injuries still in the background, it will be very interesting to see how involved he is in the game plan, even though he’s active. In other words, Shakir’s availability isn’t the question, his usage is.
LB Shaq Thompson
Linebacker Shaq Thompson is set to return to action on Thursday night after missing the past three weeks with a lingering hamstring injury. Thompson was a full participant in practice all week and is ready to suit up.
Last week, Thompson made encouraging progress after an on-and-off hamstring issue dating back to training camp, and looked close to returning. Prior to the injury, Thompson was playing at a high level and logged 89% of defensive snaps in Week 8 without issue. Now officially back, the main storyline becomes where he slots into the rotation. Buffalo has adapted in his absence, but Thompson was performing at starter-level reps before the injury. On Thursday night, Bills fans should watch closely where he fits into the defense.
LB Dorian Williams
Dorian Williams continues to manage the groin injury that popped up after the Dolphins game but played 40% of defensive snaps last week against Tampa Bay, a strong rebound from his season-low usage the week prior. He was limited early in practice this week but is set to play again Thursday night. With Shaq Thompson returning, the real question now becomes the linebacker rotation. Both players have shown well when called upon, so snap distribution between the two will be worth watching closely.
DT Jordan Phillips
Jordan Phillips remains on the Buffalo Bills injury report with a wrist issue, which limited him in practice for the second straight week. His snap share dropped to a season-low 18.6% against the Buccaneers, raising questions about whether the reduction was driven by the return of DT TJ Sanders or the team managing his workload due to the injury. Regardless, Phillips is expected to suit up Thursday night, but his role and snap count remain uncertain as the defensive line continues to shuffle.
It’s also notable that safety Jordan Poyer and defensive tackle DaQuan Jones were both listed on the injury report with veteran rest designations, logging two limited practices each this week.
Feature Image: Photo: Keon Coleman having fun naming random NBA players (via Sports Illustrated / Andy Nesbitt)
