The Buffalo Bills have a massive game coming up against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. The Chiefs are the reigning AFC champs and though they got off to a slow start this season due to some offensive injuries, they’re starting to hit their stride.
Ahead of that showdown, the Bills got a big update on the status of WR Josh Palmer. Back in Buffalo’s surprising Week 6 loss to the Falcons, Palmer suffered knee and ankle injuries that caused him to leave the game early. Despite the Bills’ bye week coming in Week 7, Palmer wasn’t ready to suit up in Week 8, and he missed the Bills’ victory over the Panthers.
Though he did not participate in practice on Wednesday, Palmer was listed as a limited participant in Thursday’s practice. He was seen participating in drills on Thursday. This is a massive development for Palmer, and while it doesn’t guarantee he’ll be ready for the Chiefs game — in fact, it’s still somewhat unlikely — it at least opens that door. If Palmer had missed both Wednesday and Thursday’s practices, he’d have an almost nonexistent chance of suiting up on Sunday.
Josh Palmer Adds to a Deep Buffalo Bills WR Core
Bryan M. Bennett/GettyORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 05: Josh Palmer #5 of the Buffalo Bills makes a catch in the second quarter against Christian Gonzalez #0 of the New England Patriots in the game at Highmark Stadium on October 05, 2025 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Bryan M. Bennett/Getty Images)
While the Bills don’t have any surefire, elite guys in their wide receiver room, they do deploy a deep platoon of guys that can all beat you on any given night. There’s a clear top three in the Bills’ passing attack: WR Khalil Shakir (31 catches, 356 yards, three touchdowns), TE Dalton Kincaid (21 catches, 310 yards, three touchdowns) and WR Keon Coleman (27 catches, 267 yards, two touchdowns).
But behind them, it truly is a “flavor of the week” passing offense. RB James Cook, TE, Dawson Knox, WR Elijah Moore, TE Jackson Hawes, and rookie WR Tyrell Shavers all have between 12 and five receptions on the year, stepping up in key moments. Palmer has 14, despite missing the Panthers game.
Palmer leads Buffalo in yards per reception, at 16.7. That ranks sixth in the NFL behind some of the league’s elite deep threats, such as Colts WR Alec Pierce and Lions WR Jameson Williams. He’s become the Bills’ go-to target on deep passes, something Buffalo QB Josh Allen excels at throwing, but one he doesn’t get to do often.
The Buffalo Bills Need to Keep Pace with the Patriots in the AFC East
Few expected this entering the season, but the Patriots lead the AFC East through eight weeks. The Bills have won this division five seasons in a row, but this year New England has the early lead, and they have a win over the Bills to boot. They also have the league’s easiest remaining schedule — bad news for the Bills, who are trying to make up ground.
For Buffalo, after the Chiefs game, they face the Dolphins, Buccaneers, Texans, Steelers, Bengals, Patriots, Browns, Eagles, and Jets. That ranks as fairly middle-of-the-pack in terms of toughest schedules, checking in as the 12th-easiest.
That’s not a bad schedule at all, but Buffalo already trails New England in their own division, and they have ground to make up. The margin for error is pretty slim if the Bills want to make it six straight AFC East crowns.
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