Buffalo may be ready to open the door for Skyler Bell.
With the Bills dealing with receiver injuries ahead of Week 3 against the Chargers, the rookie wideout looks lined up to make his NFL debut after sitting out the first two games as a healthy scratch. Bell spent the summer working back from an injury that also kept him out of Buffalo’s first two preseason games in August, but he finished strong in the final exhibition matchup.
Against Carolina, the UConn product led the Bills with seven catches for 49 yards and added a 28-yard jet sweep touchdown in Buffalo’s 28-27 win.
The timing now makes sense. D.J.
Moore went from limited on Wednesday to DNP on Thursday, and Keon Coleman has not practiced this week. When two receivers are sitting out on Thursday in a week with a Sunday game, the next man up usually has a role waiting for him.
That’s why Bell appears almost certain to be on the field for the first time as a pro against a Chargers secondary that ranks 26th in EPA per drop back allowed through two games.
Bell’s profile gives Buffalo some flexibility. He’s an inside-outside receiver with a compact build, enough length to play bigger than his listed size, and the kind of quick feet that let him get into routes cleanly. He wins more with suddenness than force, and he can work both the slot and the boundary depending on how the Bills want to deploy him.
His game is built on clean hands and movement. He’s a hands-catcher, he tracks the ball well, and he can finish contested throws even without overwhelming size or leaping ability.
After the catch, he’s useful more than electric, and physical coverage can bother him early in routes. Still, he brings enough speed and spatial awareness to create something after the catch.
Before the draft, Bell drew a late second/early third-round grade and a comparison to Sterling Shepard. The combine numbers back up why that comparison made sense.
Shepard measured 5-foot-10, 194 pounds with 4.48 speed, a 41-inch vertical, and a 128-inch broad jump in 2016. Bell came in at 5-foot-11 5/8 with 4.41 speed, a 41-inch vertical, and a 133-inch broad jump.
The Bills’ offense has shown plenty of juice through two games, and Josh Allen’s huge arm is being highlighted by Joe Brady. Bell could get a chance to stretch the field right away, especially against Chargers corners Tarheeb Still and Cam Hart, who run 4.52 and 4.50 respectively. Vertical routes look like his best path to separating in this matchup.
Buffalo has not leaned heavily on gadget looks so far, outside of a jet sweep to Moore, but Bell could still be worked into some high-percentage throws or even get a carry because of his speed and burst. For a rookie debut, that’s a much cleaner ask than relying on him to win repeatedly underneath or in the intermediate game on his own.
Coleman showed what can happen when opportunity opens up. In Week 2, he stepped into a bigger role and answered with six catches for 63 yards, including four receptions that moved the chains.
Bell should get chances of his own now, and Buffalo will finally get a real look at the burst, long speed, and edge that showed up all over his final college season, when he caught 101 passes for 1,278 yards and 13 touchdowns.
In Other News...
Bills May Be Watching A Year Two Breakout Up Front
Deone Walker has wasted little time making his presence felt through the first two weeks of the 2026 season, giving Buffalo another interior defender who can change a game in a hurry. The second-year defensive tackle has already logged a sack, nine quarterback pressures, four tackles and three batted passes, a disruptive start that stands out even for a Bills front trying to build consistency up front.
Joe Brady has noticed the jump, praising Walkers progress and the way he fits into the defensive scheme after what was already an encouraging rookie year. A fourth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Walker earned All-Rookie honors last season, and now he looks like a player the Bills may be counting on for more than just depth as the year unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Receiver Move Suddenly Matters More Than Fans Realized
The Bills made a quiet but meaningful roster tweak by signing Greg Dortch to the 53-man roster after elevating him from the practice squad. On the surface, it is the kind of move that can get buried in the shuffle of a long season, but it comes at a time when Buffalo is dealing with uncertainty at receiver and trying to keep its passing game stocked for the next stretch.
Keon Coleman and DJ Moore are both questionable for the upcoming game because of injuries, which gives Dortch a chance to matter sooner rather than later. The Bills also placed defensive back Jordan Hancock on injured reserve with a hamstring injury, so this is a week where the roster has already been forced to absorb some hits and adjust on the fly. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Face Real Lineup Questions Before Chargers Showdown
The Bills are heading into their Week 3 matchup with the Chargers carrying more uncertainty than they would like at this stage of the season. Buffalos injury report includes six regular starters, and the status of wide receivers Keon Coleman and DJ Moore remains especially important as the offense gets ready for a road test against a Chargers team dealing with its own health issues.
Los Angeles listed 14 players on its injury report, creating a similar sense of waiting on availability as the game approaches. Even with some key absences already looming, including Charlie Kolar expected to miss the game because of injury, both teams are still sorting through who can go and who cannot, which could shape how this matchup is played from the opening snap. [Read more 🡒]