Bills' Week 1 Updated Injury Report: Defensive Starter Downgraded, RB Still Out

The Buffalo Bills are almost fully healthy heading into the September 13 season opener against the Houston Texans, but there are two players who likely won't be available.

Unless either experiences near-miraculous progress overnight, running back Ty Johnson and first-team defensive lineman TJ Sanders are likely to spend Week 1 on the sideline. Both men were non-participants at Thursday's practice in Orchard Park.

It was a repeat absence for Johnson, who hasn't practiced since training camp due to a hamstring issue. Meanwhile, Sanders practiced in a limited capacity on Wednesday with a knee problem.

Nickel cornerback Jordan Hancock, one of only three players on Buffalo's official Week 1 practice report, is trending in a positive direction with Sunday's 1 p.m. ET kickoff approaching. He participated on a limited basis after missing Wednesday's session.

Final injury reports are due out Friday with players being designated as either questionable, doubtful or OUT heading into Sunday.

What we know about Ty Johnson's injury and what to expect if he can't go

Johnson left the Return of the Blue & Red practice early on August 8, and he's been on the shelf since.

It appears as if Johnson pulled his hamstring to a severe degree being that he's been sidelined for longer than the normal 2-4 weeks.

While Bills' first-year head coach Joe Brady has been tight lipped when asked about injuries and player statuses, Johnson likely isn't too far away from returning due to the fact that the team declined to place him on Injured Reserve, which would knock him out for the season's first four weeks.

As Buffalo's third-down back, Johnson's pass protection ability would be a valuable asset against the Texans' vaunted pass rush, but the team likely won't have that luxury on Sunday.

Instead, expect the Bills to elevate Frank Gore Jr. from the practice squad to hold down the RB3 role in the season opener. Buffalo did exactly that when Johnson was unavailable for two playoff games last January.

What we know about TJ Sanders's injury and what to expect if he can't go

Sanders, a 2025 second-round draft pick, had his disappointing rookie campaign interrupted by a knee injury that required a midseason Injured Reserve stint.

Now, as the Bills began preparing for the Texans, Sanders is dealing with a knee issue again. It's not known if it's related to the 2025 problem.

TJ Sanders — Bills T.J. Sanders gets ready to run a drill during the Return of the Blue and Red practice at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park on Aug. 8, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Furthermore, Sanders could have injured the knee during the non-media viewing portion of Wednesday's practice, meaning he started the session at full strength but was eventually forced out, hence the limited designation.

Sanders is listed as a first-team defensive end on the Bills' 3-4 front. He's one of only six down linemen on the 53-man roster, and two of them are best suited for a nose tackle role. While Landon Jackson, a 2025 third-rounder, will presumably start should Sanders be unavailable, Buffalo will need to add a reinforcement to the roster for gameday.

Bills' Official Injury Report (Week 1)

THURSDAY

RB Ty Johnson (hamstring) — DNP

DB Jordan Hancock (quad) — LP

DL TJ Sanders (knee) — DNP

WEDNESDAY

RB Ty Johnson (hamstring) — DNP

DB Jordan Hancock (quad) — DNP

DL TJ Sanders (knee) — LP

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