The Bills and Browns will meet in Week 2 of the NFL preseason, but don’t expect a whole lot of star power on the field Saturday.
Both coaching staffs have already agreed to use their starters heavily during joint practice this week, which leaves the game itself to be handled mostly by young players and backups. That setup makes the betting angle a little trickier, but there’s still a case to be made.
For Cleveland, Deshaun Watson is likely to sit, which should open the door for Shedeur Sanders to see plenty of snaps. Sanders’ first preseason outing was a rough one: he went 6-of-11 for 79 yards and threw an interception. He’ll be looking for a cleaner showing as the quarterback competition in Cleveland rolls on through the rest of the preseason.
The Browns are listed as field-goal favorites, but that number doesn’t sit right here. With both sides expected to lean on depth pieces, the edge doesn’t feel strong enough to justify laying that kind of number. There’s also plenty of reason to doubt any Browns quarterback putting together a big night.
Buffalo, meanwhile, got a steadier performance from Kyle Allen in its first preseason game. He completed 14-of-16 passes for 108 yards, and that kind of efficiency gives the Bills a little more confidence heading into this matchup.
Between the coaching staff and the roster depth, the Bills look like the side more likely to hang around and keep this one within a field goal.
In Other News...
Bills Fans Already Face A New Stadium Access Problem
The move to the new Highmark Stadium is already changing the way Bills fans will experience game days. Individual home-game tickets are hard to come by, and the ones that do pop up are going for more than what season ticket holders pay, which is a sharp turn from the kind of last-minute planning many fans are used to. For plenty of people who have long treated Orchard Park as a place you could still reach on short notice, the new setup looks far less forgiving.
Most of the available tickets are expected to come through the secondary market, which makes spontaneous attendance much tougher and adds another layer to an already high-demand environment. The Bills are also leaning into the buzz around the new building by offering behind-the-scenes tours, a sign that interest in the stadium itself is becoming part of the experience. What remains to be seen is how many fans will be able to get inside on their own terms once the novelty wears off. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Allen Needs More From Dalton Kincaid Than Ever
Dalton Kincaid enters the 2026 season in a familiar spot for the Bills: full of promise, but still needing to turn flashes into something steadier. Buffalo has already committed to him by picking up his fifth-year contract option, and the timing matters with Joe Brady now taking over as head coach after previously running the offense. Brady knows exactly what Kincaid can bring when he is healthy, and the next step is getting more of it on a weekly basis.
Josh Allens recent praise of their connection during joint practices only adds to the sense that Kincaids role is about to matter even more. The chemistry is there, or at least trending in the right direction, and the Bills have spent enough time waiting for Kincaid to stay on the field and become the kind of mismatch he was drafted to be. What remains is the part Buffalo has been chasing from him since day one, the kind of dependable production that could make this offense look very different if it shows up when the games count. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Just Became Part Of A Browns QB Decision To Watch
A joint practice in Buffalo gave the Browns another look at their quarterback situation, and it did not exactly produce a clean answer. Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson both had mixed throws during the session, leaving the battle for the Browns starting job still very much in view as the preseason gets moving.
Watson has reportedly held the edge in the competition, but Sanders is set to start the upcoming preseason game, which should give Cleveland another data point before the real decision gets made. Browns coach Todd Monken has suggested veteran starters may sit out that game, and the Week 1 quarterback choice could come shortly after, keeping the Bills tied to one of the AFCs more closely watched camp stories. [Read more 🡒]