Buffalo Bills' WR room could undergo game of musical chairs during stretch run

With the pending return of Joshua Palmer and a couple others, the Bills' WR corps is going to go through a shift over the next few weeks.

Nov 2, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman (0) warms up before the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Highmark Stadium. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

An upcoming game of musical chairs.

As the Buffalo Bills’ wide receiver corps gets healthier, there could be a bit of a numbers crunch coming as soon as this week’s game against the New England Patriots.

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Sep 7, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver Joshua Palmer (5) runs the ball against Baltimore Ravens cornerback Nate Wiggins (2) during the fourth quarter at Highmark Stadium. | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Full room

Following a two-game absence due to knee and ankle injuries, Joshua Palmer appears to be trending toward a return on Sunday against the Patriots. He was limited in each of the Bills' first two practices of the week and spoke with reporters on Wednesday, expressing his eagerness to get back on the field.

That would leave the Bills in quite a predicament, as they are currently carrying six WRs on their 53-man roster, with the other five aside from Palmer suiting up this past week against the Cincinnati Bengals. If Palmer was to return against New England, that would likely push one of the five players who played against Cincinnati, out of the lineup.

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Dec 7, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver Gabe Davis (13) warms up before the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Highmark Stadium. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Who’s out?

The WR group the Bills went with during the win over the Bengals consisted of Khalil Shakir, Gabe Davis, Tyrell Shavers, Brandin Cooks and Keon Coleman. Leading that group in terms of offensive snap share was Davis (58%), followed by Shavers (56%), Shakir (50%), Cooks (36%) and Coleman (28%).

After being used primarily as an X receiver to begin the season, Coleman was moved around the formation this past Sunday, when he was used at Z, a position Palmer has frequented during his time on the field this season.

That suggests that, if Palmer is healthy enough to return this week, Coleman could be a roster casualty against New England. Coleman has already been inactive twice this season, once due to discipline and once as a healthy scratch.

With that said, there is also a chance that Buffalo may carry six wide receivers. It has elected to do so twice this season, including a Week 11 matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and a Week 4 meeting with the New Orleans Saints.

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Nov 16, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver Tyrell Shavers (14) celebrates his touchdown catch against Tampa Bay Buccaneers with guard O’Cyrus Torrence (64) during the first half of the game at Highmark Stadium. | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

So, there has been precedent for the team to carry six players at the position on its Week 15 game-day roster. But the more likely scenario is that the Bills will have five WRs active on Sunday against New England.

And if Palmer plays, the most likely projection would be Shakir, Davis, Shavers, Cooks and Palmer among the group dressed for the game. The Bills appear comfortable with Davis and Shavers on the outside, while Shakir is the team’s top slot receiver, and Cooks, being a midseason free-agent addition, it's likely that Buffalo will continue getting a look at what they have in the veteran before the postseason begins.

That would mean, if they dress five wide receivers, the decision would come down to Coleman vs. Palmer, and it’s hard to believe they would make Palmer inactive if he is well enough to take the field.

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Nov 16, 2025; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver Mecole Hardman (16) returns a kickoff against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first quarter of the game at Highmark Stadium. | Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

Looking ahead

And the Bills’ game-day decisions may get even more difficult moving forward following this week’s game, when WR/return man Mecole Hardman (calf) is eligible to return from Injured Reserve. Additionally, Curtis Samuel (elbow/knee) is permitted to make his return the next week, after a Week 16 game against the Cleveland Browns.

Shakir has been the team's most productive WR this season, totaling 585 yards through the team's first 13 games. He's followed by Coleman (355), Palmer (272), Shavers (188), Elijah Moore (112), who is no longer with the team, Davis (88), Samuel (81) and Cooks (13).

Some may consider it a good problem to have, the Bills having a surplus of players at a position that has failed to produce any standouts this season. But with the playoffs just a few weeks away, most teams would like to have their group of pass catchers well defined at this stage of the year.

That simply does not appear to be the case with the Bills, who will have some interesting decisions to make over the next month.

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