Buffalo Bills Injury Report: Week 6 vs Las Vegas Raiders
The Buffalo Bills Injury Report rolls into Week 6 as the 4-1 Bills head to Las Vegas to take on the 3-2 Raiders on Sunday. Josh Allen is playing out of his mind right now, making NFL defenses look like they’re trying to stop a casino slot machine with a pool noodle. Give the man his flowers. He’s playing like a straight-up football god. Meanwhile, Buffalo heads to Sin City, where the house always wins, the drinks cost more than your mortgage, and Mark Davis is still rocking a haircut that looks like it lost a bet. Between the casinos, the questionable life choices, and enough strip clubs to make a bachelor party planner cry tears of joy, Vegas is certainly a trip. But the Bills aren’t flying cross-country to hit the slots. They’re there to handle business.
The good news for Buffalo is that nobody has been officially ruled out for Sunday’s showdown with the Raiders. The bad news? Five Bills are still listed as questionable, including nickel corner Dee Alford, wide receivers DJ Moore and Joshua Palmer, and defensive linemen Ed Oliver and T.J. Sanders. The secondary remains a particular concern with backup nickel corner Jordan Hancock still on Injured Reserve. Buffalo could use a few of these guys back in the lineup before heading into Sin City.
The Raiders are heading into Sunday in pretty good shape on the injury front. Their Injured Reserve list consists of depth pieces, while backup offensive guard Trey Zune III is listed as questionable. The biggest blow is on the defensive line, where starting defensive tackle Tonka Hemingway is out with a concussion. That’s a significant loss in the trenches, and one Buffalo’s offense will be looking to take advantage of.
QUESTIONABLE
DJ Moore, WR | Shoulder
DJ Moore’s streak of 94 consecutive regular season games played finally came to an end last week, and his status for Sunday remains up in the air. Moore originally injured his AC joint in Week 2 against the Detroit Lions, exiting the game before returning to the lineup in Week 3. Unfortunately, he suffered the exact same mechanism of injury in Week 4 against the New England Patriots, forcing him out of that game as well. Reaggravating the same injury so soon after returning is concerning, and it helps explain why Moore is still struggling to progress through a full week of practice.
Moore has followed the exact same practice pattern over the past two weeks: DNP, DNP, limited. Last Friday’s limited participation didn’t translate into playing time, so I wouldn’t read too much into him getting on the field at the end of the week. He still has a chance to suit up against the Raiders, but I’m not convinced he will. With the bye week coming up, the smart move may be to give him one more week off. That would give Moore four weeks to recover before Buffalo returns to action, rather than risking another setback for one game in Vegas. Time will tell whether the Bills take the cautious approach or give their star receiver a chance to go.
Ed Oliver, DT | Knee
Ed Oliver appeared to suffer an MCL sprain during the Patriots game, and the Bills have been without their defensive line anchor ever since. Oliver did not practice last week and missed the game, but he made some progress this week with a DNP, DNP, limited participation pattern. That late-week improvement is encouraging and suggests he could be getting close to a return. Still, the question is whether being close to ready means he should actually play Sunday.
MCL sprains typically require around one to two weeks for mild cases and three to four weeks for moderate sprains, depending on the severity. With the bye week right around the corner, Buffalo has a golden opportunity to give Oliver one more week of rest. That would provide four full weeks to recover before the Bills return to action, hopefully allowing him to get back to full strength for the second half of the season. Oliver is too important to this defensive front to risk bringing him back before he’s ready. Sometimes the best move is to let that knee get one more week of peace and quiet.
Dee Alford, CB | Ankle Injury
Dee Alford was knocked out of the Patriots game two weeks ago. The injury appeared consistent with a high ankle sprain, and he was unable to return to the game. He managed to get back to limited practice participation late last week but ultimately couldn’t suit up against the Rams. This week, Alford has been limited in all three practices, and the signs are pointing toward a potential return Sunday. The Bills also released his fill-in, Anthony Kendall, after the Rams game, which certainly suggests they expect Alford to be back in the lineup.
A quick return might sound surprising for a high ankle sprain, but not all of these injuries are created equal. A very mild Grade 1 sprain can sometimes allow a player to return quickly when the damage is limited to stretching of the syndesmotic ligaments, without significant injury to the deeper supporting structures or separation of the ankle joint. Based on Alford’s practice progression, this is a mild case. He’s not officially cleared yet, but if he does return Sunday, it would fit with the possibility of a minor sprain rather than a more significant high ankle injury.
Joshua Palmer, WR | Shoulder
Joshua Palmer missed last week’s game after suffering a shoulder injury during a midweek practice. Reports indicated he got tangled up in practice, and he was spotted wearing a red non-contact jersey during practice this week. The encouraging sign is that Palmer progressed through all three practices with limited participation, putting him in a good position to return against the Raiders. The exact diagnosis hasn’t been confirmed, but the mechanism could be consistent with a low-grade AC joint sprain if he fell awkwardly onto his shoulder.
With DJ Moore also questionable, getting Palmer back would be a welcome boost for Buffalo’s receiving corps. Assuming his shoulder responds well and there are no setbacks, I’d expect Palmer to be active Sunday. The Bills could certainly use another healthy target for Josh Allen, especially with Moore’s availability still up in the air. Palmer isn’t officially cleared just yet, but his practice week is trending in the right direction.
T.J. Sanders, DT | Shoulder
T.J. Sanders has had a rough start to his season, missing the first four games while dealing with a knee injury and recovering from an appendectomy. He finally made his season debut against the Rams in Week 5 and immediately saw a heavy workload, playing 51 snaps (62%) of the defensive snap share. Sanders didn’t appear to suffer an obvious injury during the game, but a shoulder issue landed him on the injury report this week. The mechanism of injury remains unclear, and there hasn’t been an obvious moment to point to as the cause.
The encouraging news is that Sanders progressed from limited participation on Wednesday and Thursday to a full practice Friday. That puts him in a good position to play Sunday against the Raiders. For now, I’d put this one in the ‘just banged up’ category rather than assume anything more serious. Still, after everything Sanders has dealt with to get onto the field this season, his shoulder is worth monitoring. Hopefully, this is nothing more than a minor issue and he can keep building on his Week 5 debut.
ALSO LISTED
Spencer Brown, OT | Back
Spencer Brown exited last week’s game with a back injury, leaving some understandable concerns about the Bills’ starting right tackle. Fortunately, Brown eased some of those fears when he explained that he was sick before the game and had simply tweaked his back. The initial signs don’t point to anything major, and it reportedly doesn’t appear to be a disc issue. That’s encouraging news for a player Buffalo can ill afford to lose along the offensive line.
Brown’s practice progression was encouraging, too. He was limited Wednesday before returning to full participation Thursday and Friday, and he’s cleared to play Sunday against the Raiders. However, this is still one worth monitoring given his extensive back history. The issue dates back to 2021, when it cost him two games. He underwent back surgery before the 2022 season, which appeared to hold up well for a couple of years, before he landed on the PUP list ahead of the 2025 season. Now, in 2026, he’s had to exit a game with another back issue. Brown is expected to play Sunday, but given that history, I’ll be keeping a close eye on how he holds up. Hopefully, this week’s tweak is just a minor bump in the road and not the start of another frustrating chapter for Buffalo’s big man.
Ty Johnson, RB | Hamstring
Ty Johnson is back on the injury report with the same hamstring that cost him the first two games of the season. Johnson originally strained it during the Bills’ August 8 inter-squad scrimmage, and the injury reportedly required a minor procedure to remove an accessory tendon associated with the hamstring. Between the initial injury and his first two missed games, Johnson had nearly seven weeks to recover before getting back on the field. He’s played in each of Buffalo’s last three games, averaging around 16 snaps per contest, so this week’s designation is worth keeping an eye on.
Johnson was limited Wednesday and Thursday before returning to full participation Friday, which is an encouraging sign heading into Sunday’s matchup with the Raiders. He’s expected to play, and the full practice suggests the hamstring isn’t currently keeping him from doing his job. Still, whenever a player reappears on the injury report with the same issue that previously required a procedure, it’s worth paying attention. For now, this looks more like a situation to monitor than a reason to panic.
The ThighDoctor’s Final Thigh Check 🦵🩺
The Buffalo Bills Injury Report heading into Vegas has no players officially ruled out, but five questionable tags leave some important decisions for Sunday. Ed Oliver and DJ Moore are the biggest names to watch, with the bye week offering Buffalo a chance to give both extra recovery time. Dee Alford and Joshua Palmer appear to be trending toward returns, while T.J. Sanders looks ready to roll after finishing the week with a full practice. Spencer Brown and Ty Johnson are also expected to play, though their respective back and hamstring issues deserve monitoring. The Bills are in decent shape overall, but with the second half of the season approaching, the smart move is making sure these guys are healthy for the long haul. In Vegas, we want the Bills cashing checks, not collecting injuries. When in doubt, thigh it out!
