Team news: Buffalo Bills | Page 2

According to multiple reports, the Bills are acquiring Amari Cooper from the Browns.

Buffalo will receive Cooper and a 2025 sixth-round pick while Cleveland will receive a 2025 third-round pick along with a 2026 seventh-round pick.

Related players: Josh Allen, Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman, Curtis Samuel, Dalton Kincaid, Dawson Knox, Jerry Jeudy, Elijah Moore, Cedric Tillman, David Njoku

Cooper, 30, has caught 24 passes for 250 yards with two touchdowns this season. His fantasy production has been inconsistent so far, but that can probably be blamed on the poor play of quarterback Deshaun Watson. Last year Cooper finished with a line of 72-1,250-5, mostly without Watson under center. Cooper will eventually be locked in as the Bills WR1 and push players like Shakir, Coleman Kincaid and Knox further down the fantasy depth chart. It's easy to see Cooper having a chance to thrive with Allen as his QB. Meanwhile in Cleveland, Jeudy, Moore and Tillman will battle it out at the WR position with Njoku becoming more of a target at TE.

Another Monday night inactive surprise at RB: James Cook is out tonight due to his toe injury, per source. It’s the first NFL game in three seasons that Cook has missed.

Related players: Ray Davis, Ty Johnson, Frank Gore, Jr.

Cook is unable to go tonight. The Bills added to that speculation a few hours ago when they announced rookie RB Gore would suit up. Davis could be in line for the early down work with Johnson getting passing downs. Gore could also mix in as well. It will be a tough matchup against the Jets on the road.

RB James Cook (foot/toe) remained sidelined at Thursday’s Bills practice. Cook’s second straight absence. Looking less likely that he will play against the Jets, but the longer week gives him a better chance.

Related Players: Ray Davis, Ty Johnson

If Cook were to miss Week 6, it's hard to say how the backfield load would get divvied up. Obviously Ty Johnson has more experience than rookie Ray Davis, but it's the latter who leads in the carry department, 26-10. Davis feels like the better pick-up, but neither one would carry a full bellcow load regardless, which makes them iffy spot-starts.

Sean McDermott says on WGR550 that DT Ed Oliver, WR Khalil Shakir, DT Austin Johnson, and S Taylor Rapp are OUT for Sunday’s game

Related Players: Mack Hollins, Curtis Samuel, Keon Coleman, Dalton Kincaid

The receiving room behind Shakir has been mostly miserable through the first month of the season, though the rookie Coleman has looked pretty good in his limited role. None of them are particularly exciting, though Coleman can be used as a desperation Flex in a game that should see him with a high route participation.

Kincaid becomes a top-5 option at the tight end position.

Bills quarterback Josh Allen’s feeling the aftereffects of a rough night against the Ravens defense, but it’s nothing that looks like it will impact his preparation for the team’s Week Five trip to Houston.

“Josh is sore, should be fine as we move forward here,” McDermott said. “Continue to take it one day at a time, but should be fine.”

Allen took a big hit on an ill-fated trick play on Monday against the Ravens. It seems like he'll be good to go for Week 5, which is an early Sunday game at the Texans, but owners may want to see how his practice week goes.

Coach McDermott: Josh Allen is cleared to practice and will play in Thursday night’s game.

Allen was dealing with a left hand injury from the team's Week 1 game against the Cardinals. Being it was his non-throwing hand, Allen probably wasn't in any great dangers to miss Week 2, but it is a short week so it's nice to see Allen has already been cleared for action.

Bills WR Curtis Samuel (turf toe) and backup QB Mitch Trubisky (knee) are off the injury report and good to go for Sunday vs. Arizona.

Related Players: Mack Hollins, Keon Coleman, Marquez Valdes-Scantling

Huge news for Samuel, who could be used in a variety of ways as the offense looks to replace both Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis. OC Joe Brady was recently quoted as saying, "There's a reason I wanted to bring him here, because I know how smart he is."

He makes for an interesting Flex option against the Cardinals.

Bills HC Sean McDermott said there is optimism both WR Curtis Samuel and WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling could get back for Week 1, but he did not want to commit all the way to it because all injury situations are still "murky" at the moment.

Related Players: Keon Coleman, Khalil Shakir, Mack Hollins, KJ Hamler

This WR room doesn't need any more setbacks, so let's hope that they're both ready to go for Week 1 as a rotational piece (Valdes-Scantling) and a do-it-all option (Samuel). In a fully healthy season, there would be a good chance that Samuel could lead the position group in targets.

Curtis Samuel is also considered week-to-week with a turf toe injury.

Owners of Samuel may want to follow this injury closely leading up to the season. With it being called week-to-week, it's fair to wonder what his status will be for Week 1. Given the Bills have reworked their WR room, Samuel certainly has some fantasy potential in this offense. In fact, we list him as the team's WR1 on our fantasy depth charts heading into the season.

Despite having a quiet training camp amidst reports of struggles, the team is invested in Franklin’s continued development, and they are in a position where they don’t need him to be a No. 1, 2, or 3 right away as a rookie. He’ll likely redshirt or play some special teams.

Related players: Courtland Sutton, Tim Patrick, Marvin Mims, Josh Reynolds, Devaughn Vele, Jalen Virgil

Franklin was more of a dynasty name this offseason but the hope was he'd quickly establish himself in a Broncos WR group that isn't necessarily loaded in terms of big names. The story said this is a position that could see five, six, or seven players on the 53-man roster. The writer says HC Sean Payton values size, and he has that with Sutton, Patrick, Reynolds, and Vele. He also values speed, which he gets from Mims, Virgil, Vele, and Franklin. Either way, it doesn't sound like Franklin will have a big fantasy impact at least early on this season.