DJ Moore’s Shoulder Injury Puts Buffalo’s Top Receiver on the Sidelines

During the Bills’ Week 2 home game against the Detroit Lions on September 17, 2026, veteran wide receiver DJ Moore left the field in the second quarter after diving for a low pass in the end zone. He landed hard on his left shoulder as Lions cornerback Rock Ya-Sin fell on top of him. Moore clutched his shoulder, walked off under his own power and headed to the locker room for X-rays. He was ruled out for the remainder of the contest, which Buffalo won 41-31.

New York Post

Moore was acquired from the Chicago Bears in March 2026 in a trade that sent a 2026 second-round pick to Chicago for Moore and a 2026 fifth-round pick. The move reunited him with head coach Joe Brady, who previously coordinated the Bills’ offense while Moore was with the Carolina Panthers. In his Bills debut in Week 1, Moore recorded five receptions for 100 yards and a touchdown on eight targets, becoming the second player in franchise history to post 100 receiving yards in a debut.

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• Week 1 performance: 5 catches, 100 yards, 1 TD (8 targets).

Newsweek

• Career totals (through 2025): 613 receptions, 8,313 yards, 42 touchdowns in 133 games.

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• Injury history: Has not missed a full game since Week 15 of the 2020 season; prior injuries (concussion 2019, ankle sprain 2020) did not cause missed games.

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• Joe Brady offered no new information after the game, saying the team is awaiting further medical evaluation.

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• Ian Rapoport reported the diagnosis as an AC-joint sprain, describing the injury as “not serious” and noting Moore is listed as day-to-day.

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• The Bills’ medical staff performed X-rays, which were negative for a clavicle fracture, and the team announced a ten-day window before the next game.

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• AC-joint sprain vs. collarbone fracture: While Rapoport and Schefter identify an AC-joint sprain, sports injury doctor Jesse Morse expressed “significant concerns” that Moore might have broken his clavicle, citing visible grimacing and neck/upper-shoulder pain.

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• Recovery timeline: Morse said a mild Type I sprain typically heals in 2–3 weeks and added he “would not be surprised” if Moore returned in Week 3, though the Bills have not set a firm date.

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• “Bills WR DJ Moore suffered a shoulder injury Thursday night that doctors do not consider serious and will leave him day to day, per source,” — Adam Schefter

Sports Illustrated

• “The good news is that he didn’t suffer a clavicle / collarbone fracture but it sounds like a moderate AC sprain,” — Jesse Morse

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• “It would not surprise me, with an extra couple days, if he tries to make that next game in Week 3,” — Jesse Morse

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The Bills have a scheduled Week 3 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers on September 27. The ten-day interval gives Moore additional time to recover, and the team is expected to release an updated status report before the game. If Moore remains unavailable, Buffalo will rely on receivers Keon Coleman, Joshua Palmer, Khalil Shakir, and tight end Dalton Kincaid to sustain its passing attack.

USA Today