DJ Moore — Week 2: One Carry, No Targets, Out Before Halftime
2026 NFL Season · Half-PPR Scoring · Friday, Sep 18
Moore's only touch was a one-yard loss on an end-around in the first quarter; the one throw his way, at the Detroit six with 3:01 left in the half, was wiped out by a holding penalty, and he was injured on the play and did not return. Buffalo ruled him out with a shoulder injury. Dalton Kincaid led the Bills with eight targets, in a 41–31 win over the Lions.
When DJ Moore's week moves the numbers, you'll know — every episode, in one weekly email.
The full episode, in writing
21 to seven, Bills, three-oh-one left in the half, second and three at the Detroit six. Josh Allen threw short right for DJ Moore, incomplete, and the play came back on an offensive holding call against Dawson Knox. Moore was hurt on it, and he does not appear in the play-by-play again. Buffalo ruled him out with a shoulder injury; ESPN reported the team considers him day-to-day.
The line is one carry for −1 — first and 10 at the Detroit 42 with four 33 left in the first, left end, up seven to nothing, −0.9 expected points added, which is what a play was worth given down, distance and field position — and zero targets. Before he left, Buffalo had thrown 13 passes, and none of them went to him: three each to Dalton Kincaid, Khalil Shakir and Keon Coleman, one each to Joshua Palmer, James Cook and Knox, and one to no receiver. The nullified throw at the six was the only time the ball was headed his way all night.
Where the targets went with him gone: Kincaid eight, Shakir six, Coleman six, Palmer three, Cook three, Knox two. Coleman caught all six of his and converted two third downs; Shakir caught three of six. Buffalo threw 31 times, ran 33, and scored touchdowns on six of nine drives, so the offense did not slow down for his absence.
Back in June the preview had Moore on the watchlist: the worst full season of his career, then a trade into Josh Allen's huddle, with the Allen-and-Brady reunion as the bet and the collapsed volume as the risk. Week 1 answered the volume half with eight targets, the team lead, and a touchdown. Thursday answered nothing: 13 throws without one to him, then an injury. Two weeks in, the share question has one data point on each side and now an availability question in front of it. Buffalo is home to the Chargers on Sunday the 20-seventh.
_Data via nflverse._
When DJ Moore's week moves the numbers, you'll know — every episode, in one weekly email.
Keep going