Three Bold Predictions for Bills vs. Panthers Preseason Week 1

Fans will once again fill the new Highmark Stadium this Saturday as the Buffalo Bills host the Carolina Panthers in Week 1 of the 2026 NFL preseason.

Bills fans in attendance are in for a treat, with head coach Joe Brady recently announcing that everyone who is healthy will play. That includes former NFL MVP Josh Allen, who didn't play at all during the 2025 preseason.

Of course, Allen and many of the other stars will hardly be on the field, but there will still be plenty of excitement to watch as players fight for their spot on the roster. That being the case, here's a look at three bold predictions for fans to keep an eye on as they watch the Bills take on the Panthers in the preseason opener.

New RB becomes hot name

Bills running back Ian Wheeler waits for the start of a drill with running backs during Bills Training Camp. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Buffalo has three talented running backs with Ray Davis and Ty Johnson backing up James Cook. That doesn't mean somebody can't knock one of the backups down a peg, especially if they have a strong showing during the preseason. Frank Gore Jr. Entered the offseason were named to watch in this regard, but a new running back has been making waves recently. Ian Wheeler has been turning heads, even receiving praise from Joe Brady.

Brady said that Wheeler was well conditioned after his time in the UFL, and added that he did an excellent job catching up after signing late in the summer. On Saturday, look for Wheeler to continue his ascension as he racks up 60 yards and a touchdown in this first bold prediction.

Keonta Jenkins locks up spot

Buffalo Bills linebacker Keonta Jenkins after the game against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Dorian Williams is penciled in as the starter next to Terrel Bernard and rookie Kaleb Elarms-Orr has been throwing his name into the mix every chance he gets. Beyond those three, the Bills depth at linebacker has been questionable.

They could decide to look for outside help, but the plan seems to be allowing the young players on the roster to prove they deserve a spot. On Saturday, second-year player Keonta Jenkins has a chance to do just that. He was named one of the "biggest risers" by The Athletic's Joe Buscaglia and can make a name for himself in the preseason.

"Jenkins, to me, has been one of the biggest risers of the summer. During open practices, he routinely ran with the second-team defense, he has a good special teams background and he’s fitting well into the new defense," Buscaglia wrote.

In our second bold prediction, Jenkins does exactly that by having a breakout game as he all but secures his spot on the 53-man roster.

Josh Allen, DJ Moore connect for opening-drive touchdown

Buffalo Bills wide receiver DJ Moore warms up during training camp at St. John Fisher University. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The addition of DJ Moore led to a lot of criticism for Buffalo. While it's hard to argue that Moore isn't a good fit for the offense, especially considering his experience working with Joe Brady, the general consensus was that trading a second-round pick for a receiver coming off back-to-back seasons with declining production was an overpay.

In the end, none of that matters if it works out on the field. Throughout training camp, it appears as though that will be the case as the two have shown an excellent rapport. In this final bold prediction, look for that connection to show up on the opening drive as Allen and Moore connect for a touchdown before walking off the field and becoming spectators.

We wrote extensively on how the connection has been months in the making.

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