Fantasy Football Injury Impact: DJ Moore's Shoulder Status Could Unlock Two Bills Breakout Receivers

In Sunday's 29-26 loss to the New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills wide receiver DJ Moore reportedly aggravated his shoulder injury. In Week 2, Moore had sprained his AC Joint. Though he missed no time, the injury lingered, and Moore could be out in Week 5 against the Los Angeles Rams.

Fantasy Football Impact

DJ Moore, WR, Buffalo Bills — Oct 4, 2026; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver DJ Moore #2 jumps over New England Patriots cornerback Charles Woods #22 during the first quarter at New Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

I project this week's Bills offense, assuming Moore is out in Week 5. Below is my estimate of each pass-catcher's share of yards and expected yards per game.

Dalton Kincaid: 30% / About 80 Yards
Khalil Shakir: 22% / About 55 Yards
Keon Coleman: 20% / About 50 Yards
Josh Palmer: 14% / About 35 Yards
James Cook: 5% / About 15 Yards
Dawson Knox: 5% / About 15 Yards

Kincaid has endured a downswing over the past two weeks. He has had only 5 total targets over his last couple of games, compared with 6+ targets in each of his first two games.

Dalton Kincaid first 2 weeks:
12 receptions
225 yards
1 TD

Kincaid last 2 weeks:
3 receptions
45 yards
0 TD

Joe Brady after Sunday's game: “There’s no reason Dalton Kincaid should have two targets … I gotta find a way to get the ball in his hands." pic.twitter.com/9oEriE4uSm
— Underdog NFL (@UnderdogNFL) October 4, 2026

The Bills have faced top-8-rated defenses versus tight ends in those last two games, including the NFL's best, the New England Patriots. A healthy Kincaid should see plenty of volume, and I would not overreact to these back-to-back flubs.

Out of the slot, Shakir is unthreatened in his usage and thus very viable in fantasy football in a high-end WR3 role with WR2 upside.

Coleman is my favorite waiver wire addition of the week. He has the second-most routes run of any Bill in 2026. Joe Brady has said for a while that Coleman was underused under Sean McDermott. I think Brady's confidence is showcasing itself and with or without Moore, Coleman has top-30 wide receiver upside.

Week 5 won't be an easy matchup for the Bills, as they face the Los Angeles Rams. As for Kincaid, the Rams are 4th-best against tight ends. The team is a top-10 defense, and some would debate whether they are top-3 with both Myles Garrett and Aaron Donald.

Stay tuned for my Week 5 Projections, set to release on Wednesday afternoon.

DJ Moore Injury Update

Bills WR D.J. Moore aggravated his shoulder injury during today’s loss to the Patriots, per source. It is not considered “a long term issue as of right now.” pic.twitter.com/EB6897w4bp
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 5, 2026

After spraining his left AC joint in Week 2, Moore returned to the football field. In Week 3, he had 6 receptions for 67 yards, showing no drop-off in performance.

In Week 4, Moore then fell to the ground late in the second quarter, landing right on that left shoulder. He never returned to the game as the injury was aggravated; thus, Moore could miss time in the coming week(s).

As per Adam Schefter, the Bills do not consider it "a long-term issue as of now." However, fantasy managers must consider the worst and prepare for the possibility of Moore, who is pacing for about 11 fantasy points per game, as a WR3-range worst-case scenario.

More clarity will come as the week goes on. Wednesday practice will be key to telegraphing Moore's status. Fantasy managers can explore the waiver wire to prepare, as multiple early pickups are extremely viable, including one of Moore's teammates. Click here to read more.

More Fantasy Sports On SI News:

Add us as a preferred source on Google