Coker missed Carolina’s first practice on Wednesday, but he put in limited work on both Thursday and Friday, and the questionable tag opened the door to him playing in Week 4.

Unfortunately, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Sunday morning that Coker was “unlikely to play” on Sunday night. His report proved right, as Coker is inactive for the Panthers against the Lions in Week 4.

Wide receiver depth chart

McMillan can be a one-man offense when he gets rolling, and his presence here helps cover for a multitude of sins. Plus, Tremayne has come on of late when given an opportunity, and the Panthers boast a deep tight end room with Tommy Tremble, Darren Waller, and Mitchell Evans.

Still, though, it is hard not to look at this depth chart and wonder what could have been — and for how much longer Young and head coach Dave Canales can keep this offense afloat.

There is just very little in the way of proven NFL production behind T-Mac, which will allow even a vulnerable secondary like Detroit’s to key on him and make somebody else beat them. Coker had been filling that void expertly through two weeks, but at a certain point you run out of bodies.

What Coker provided

Coker put up a whopping 16 catches for 204 yards and two touchdowns across Carolina’s first two games and seemed poised for a breakout year three. Unfortunately, he won’t be able to play tonight.

Key takeaways

• Jalen Coker is not playing against Detroit on Sunday Night Football.
• Tommy Tremble, Darren Waller, and Mitchell Evans form a deep tight end room.
• 16 catches for 204 yards and two touchdowns were compiled across two games.

Detroit bounced back from a Week 2 loss to the Buffalo Bills with a win over the New York Jets, advancing to 2-1 on the young season. Now, it’s off to Carolina to take on a reigning division champion, the Panthers.

On the Panthers’ side, after blowing out the Atlanta Falcons in Week 2, the Carolina Panthers suffered a setback this past week, falling to the Cleveland Browns 21-18. That puts them at 1-2 for the season.

Both franchises have their quarterback depth charts established ahead of the prime-time matchup. The Lions feature Jared Goff as their starting quarterback, with Joshua Dobbs serving as the first backup. For the Panthers, Bryce Young leads the offense as QB1, backed up by Kenny Pickett at QB2 and Haynes King as QB3.

What the Lions will need

Goff remains one of the NFL‘s most efficient quarterbacks early in this season, as he has yet to throw an interception and ranks fourth in passing yards up to this point. He can enter early MVP talks if he puts on another show in front of a national audience.

Goff will have his primary weapon available in Jahmyr Gibbs, who continues to be one of the best backs in the league and is expected to be utilized heavily once again. With teams continuing to play shell coverages against the Lions, he can be used as a receiver as well. Vaki continues to improve in pass protection and has seen his role grow as the second option.

What the Panthers will need

On Young’s side, if the Panthers want any shot of competing against the Lions—given the absence of Jalen Coker—in what is set up to be a potential shootout, Carolina will need a big game from quarterback Bryce Young and McMillan, his top target.

The Lions lead the NFL in passing yards allowed this season, and this matchup is perfect for Carolina to air the ball out against this struggling secondary. It is also a bounce-back opportunity for McMillan, who had just two receptions for 17 yards last week.

Key takeaways

• A 2-1 record was reached by Detroit entering the Sunday night matchup.
• Jared Goff is QB1 for Detroit, with Joshua Dobbs serving as backup.
• Bryce Young leads Carolina as QB1, backed up by Kenny Pickett.

Mitchell is out due to a hand injury that limited him in practice. The Jets are taking the precautionary measures to make sure that Mitchell recovers properly. Hence, the Lions won’t have to deal with him.

It is very likely that the wide receiver comes back for Week 4. The Lions are relieved as their secondary has been scorched during the early portions of the 2026 NFL season. Still, they have to deal with Garrett Wilson.

Adonai Mitchell has been stellar

The Jets will certainly miss AD Mitchell. Throughout the first two weeks of the season, Mitchell has 15 targets (1st on the Jets), nine catches (2nd), and 123 yards (2nd) so far. His numbers go alongside Wilson’s.

Mitchell, however, is also a guy who runs deeper yards than Wilson. Hence, his 13.7 yards per reception is the best in the team for players with more than two targets so far. He hasn’t scored yet, which makes his outlook even greater with potential to grow.

Mitchell being out is a blow for NFL Fantasy managers

Mitchell was arguably one of the strongest waiver wire pickups this week due to his great performances. Many managers rushed to pick him up and had him as a WR2-Flex option. Now, they are forced to call an audible on their lineups.

Still, given that the injury doesn’t seem to be long-term, managers should keep Mitchell to see if the volume continues in the next few weeks. After all, he seems to be a good Flex option por the rest of the season.

Key takeaways

• Receiver Adonai Mitchell will miss the Week 3 game against the Detroit Lions with a hand injury.
• Through two weeks, Mitchell accumulated 15 targets and 123 yards for the Jets.
• Mitchell was considered a strong waiver wire pickup for fantasy football managers.

Pacheco arrived in Detroit to serve as Jahmyr Gibbs’ primary backup in the running game. Unfortunately for Dan Campbell, he will have to wait a little longer to see the former Chiefs running back on the gridiron. “It’s going to be a while,” the head coach said to the press.

The depth chart behind Gibbs this season features two other names who can be utilized by the coaching staff if needed. The first is Sione Vaki, while Jacob Saylors is further down.

What injury did Pacheco suffer?

Things haven’t gone as planned for Isiah Pacheco after signing with the Lions this past offseason. His camp was derailed early on by a knee issue, and just when he was trying to work his way back, a persistent back injury flared up.

The team ended up placing him on IR, and he ultimately had to undergo back surgery to clean things up, putting him on a rough 12-week recovery timeline that keeps him out until around the end of the year.

Pacheco’s successful run with Chiefs Kingdom

During his four seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs from 2022 to 2025, Pacheco accumulated 2,537 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns on 576 carries across 51 regular-season games, while adding 88 receptions for 554 yards and 3 receiving scores.

A vital engine in the backfield, he also claimed two Super Bowl titles with Kansas City (LVII and LVIII), adding another 547 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns in 10 postseason appearances.

Key takeaways

• Isiah Pacheco undergo back surgery that will keep him sidelined until at least December.
• Head coach Dan Campbell noted that it will be a while before Pacheco returns.
• Pacheco amassed 2,537 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns in his four seasons with Kansas City.

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, Moore’s shoulder injury isn’t as bad, but that doesn’t mean he will come back. Per Schefter, his source said, Moore “has a chance to play next week (vs. the Chargers), but it’s not a lock, either.”

The good news is the injury isn’t considered serious by the doctors. Hence, he has a ‘day-to-day‘ label. Given that the Bills have a long week after dismantling the Lions on Thursday Night Football, they remain hopeful that Moore can suit up.

The Bills still looked great without Moore

While Moore is important and clearly the WR1 of the team, the Bills still had an incredible offensive output. The fact is that when Josh Allen is the quarterback, the offense will produce regardless. With Moore, life’s easier, but without him, the Bills still move the chains.

Against the Lions, they scored 41 points, put up 446 total yards. The Bills are an unstoppable force. With Moore, they just add more firepower in a multidimensional level, as Moore can operate in many ways.

The game vs Chargers should be another shootout

While the Chargers started very slow, the offense projects to be absolutely fireworks too. Both defenses have stuff to clean out, hence, Week 3 could be a third-straight high-scoring game for Buffalo.

The Bills scored 41 against the Lions. However, while a great win, the team also allowed a hefty 31 points to Detroit. Still, it was a great performance overall for a team that had a capacity crowd stadium roaring.

The new Highmark Stadium cost a fortune but it looks like an impressive venue for one of the most intense fanbases in all of football. In the end, that fanbase saw its team win in a game with a total of 72 points scored.

How many points were scored in Old Highmark’s first game?

Old Highmark opened its doors to the NFL for a regular-season game on September 30, 1973. The game was a very low-scoring affair as Buffalo won 9-7 against the Jets.

Hence, it was the complete opposite. The Old Highmark presented old-school football and ended up being a close-yet-boring matchup. Meanwhile, the 2026 opening of the New Highmark, that has new roof features, presented two explosive offenses.

The Bills started the 2026 NFL season in outstanding form

Week 1 was a bad matchup for the Bills. They had to visit NFL’s most elite defense in Houston. Josh Allen had no fear and stole a win from Reliant Stadium as the Bills scored more than 30 points against a defense that had no answers for the superstar quarterback.

Now, they dispatched a top-tier offense by overpowering them. The Bills almost scored double of what the Lions were able to score. That is a statement. Their defense still needs some improvement, but the Bills are 2-0 and they played two of their toughest games already.

DJ Moore fell hard when targeted in the endzone by Josh Allen. He couldn’t grab the ball and fell with all his bodyweight on his shoulder. He was immediately in pain and was taken to the locker room for X-Rays.

According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, “WR DJ Moore, who landed hard on his shoulder, is questionable to return with a shoulder injury and a stinger.” This would be a massive blow for the future of the Bills, if Moore ends up missing time.

Moore was brought to be the WR1 of the Bills

Despite the Bills moving the chains with ease vs. the Lions, it’s a reality that Moore was a key component going forward. After all, he was expected to serve as the WR1 of the team and first option for Josh Allen in the passing game.

The stinger —also called a burner or brachial plexus neuropraxia— is a temporary nerve injury that causes a sharp, burning pain shooting from the neck and shoulder down the arm. However, the concerning injury is the whether it’s an AC sprain or a clavicle fracture.

Bills WR depth chart without DJ Moore

Without DJ Moore, the Buffalo Bills’ wide receiver group relies on Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman, Joshua Palmer, and Greg Dortch. However, in terms of relevance, the pecking order must include the tight ends Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox. This would be the order of all receivers available:

1. Khalil Shakir
2. Dalton Kincaid
3. Keon Coleman
4. Dawson Knox
5. Joshua Palmer
6. Greg Dortch

For the Lions, Isiah Pacheco is not playing due to a back surgery. Meanwhile, Ty Johnson is officially listed as questionable with a hamstring injury on the Bills final Week 2 injury report.

His exact status will not be finalized until the team releases its official inactives list roughly 90 minutes before the kickoff on Thursday Night Football. However, he could be suiting up after he logged three straight days of limited participation during the short week of practice leading up to this game vs Lions. If he does, it’s likely in a limited capacity.

Ty Johnson is not the RB1 of the Bills

While he is a cherished member of the roster since 2023, Johnson is by no means the main back on the Bills RB depth chart vs Lions. If he is able to play, he will be the third RB in the pecking order, behind James Cook III and Ray Davis.

Johnson was inactive in Week 1 due to the same lingering hamstring issue. However, Johnson will clearly want to have a say in the first game inside the Bills’ new Highmark Stadium.

Ty Johnson’s stats with the Bills and history with the Lions

Johnson will face —if able to play— the team that drafted him in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. After one year with the Lions, Johnson spent three with the Jets before arriving to the Bills. These are his stats for Buffalo in three seasons:

• 44 games (1 start)
• 121 rush attempts
• 545 yards
• 4 rushing touchdowns
• 49 catches (on 65 targets)
• 609 receiving yards
• 6 receiving touchdowns

The running game is always an important piece to any football game, as it allows the team in question to control the tempo of the game, as well as the clock. For the Bills, who just built a new stadium to leave the Old Highmark, it’s key to relieve some responsibility off of Josh Allen’s shoulders.

The Bills didn’t have much of a running game in Week 1, but Allen’s heroics from the quarterback position allowed the team to still beat one of the best defenses in the NFL like the Houston Texans. However, the Lions pose a different threat. They have a very explosive offense, so running the ball effectively will allow the Bills to minimize the risk of having to defend against Detroit.

Bills RB depth chart vs Lions

The Bills have a very good trifecta of running backs, though one stands above the other two as the clear workhorse. James Cook is a three-down back, but he had quite a shy performance in Week 1. This is the depth chart for the game vs. Lions:

1. James Cook III
2. Ray Davis
3. Ty Johnson

Lions RB depth chart vs Bills

Contrary to the Bills, the Lions had an outstanding rushing offense in Week 1 against the Saints. In fact, the Lions might have the best running back in the NFL in Jahmyr Gibbs, who blasted New Orleans for 156 yards, two touchdowns, and 29 carries. However, Isiah Pacheco won’t be playing in this game. This is the full depth chart vs Bills:

1. Jahmyr Gibbs
2. Sione Vaki
3. Jacob Saylors

Buffalo’s official depth chart lists Josh Allen as the starter and Kyle Allen as his backup, while Detroit has Jared Goff followed by Joshua Dobbs at quarterback.

The quarterback matchup comes with plenty of attention, too, as this is the first regular-season game at the Bills’ new stadium. They will kick off at 8:15 PM ET on Thursday, September 17, with both teams looking to begin the season 2-0.

Bills and Lions off to 1-0 starts

Both quarterbacks are coming off victories in the season opener, with Buffalo beating Houston 36-31 and Detroit edging New Orleans 31-30.

Allen opened the season with 334 passing yards, two passing touchdowns and no interceptions against the Texans, while also adding 23 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. His 130.5 passer rating was one of the strongest individual performances of Week 1.

Allen spent the offseason competing for the backup job alongside Shane Buechele, with the Bills noting during training camp that both quarterbacks had impressed.

The Lions’ quarterback room changed during the offseason after Teddy Bridgewater, who was initially expected to compete for the backup role, decided to retire. Detroit’s training camp preview identified Goff, Bridgewater and rookie Luke Altmyer as the quarterbacks on the roster at the time, but the current Week 2 depth chart now has Dobbs directly behind Goff.

How to watch Bills vs Lions in the USA

The Buffalo Bills vs. Detroit Lions matchup will be broadcast nationally through Amazon Prime Video as the first regular-season Thursday Night Football game of the 2026 NFL season.

Can I watch Bills vs Lions for free?

Eligible viewers in the United States can watch Bills vs. Lions through Amazon Prime Video‘s 30-day free trial. Amazon’s official guide specifically states that non-Prime members can sign up for a free 30-day trial to watch TNF.

Match Preview: What’s at stake?

The Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions both enter Week 2 with 1-0 records, making Thursday night’s matchup an early opportunity for either team to move to 2-0. Buffalo opened the season with a 36-31 win over the Houston Texans, while Detroit defeated the New Orleans Saints 31-30 in overtime.

The game also carries added significance as the first regular-season game at the new Highmark Stadium, giving the Bills their official home debut in their new venue, which replaces an old Highmark stadium that will be demolished. The new stadium isn’t a dome but it does have a heated field.

The short week adds another challenge. Both teams played deep into their Week 1 games, with Detroit needing overtime against New Orleans, leaving only a few days to recover and prepare for Thursday Night Football.

Buffalo’s coaching staff has specifically pointed to the limited preparation time and the need to get players physically and mentally ready for the quick turnaround.

There are also important personnel situations to monitor. Detroit entered Monday’s practice with Christian Mahogany and Blake Miller listed as non-participants, while center Juice Scruggs was limited with a knee issue.

The Lions’ offensive line will therefore be one of the areas to watch as the team prepares for a Bills defense led by a Buffalo roster that also had several players dealing with injuries following Week 1. Meanwhile, Isiah Pacheco remains out for the Lions as the running back is on IR.

What time is the Bills vs Lions match?

The Bills vs. Lions game kicks off on Thursday, September 17, at 8:15 PM ET at a new Highmark Stadium with a lower capacity than its predecessor. The Thursday Night Football broadcast begins with pregame coverage at 7:00 PM ET, while the game itself starts at 8:15 PM ET.

• Eastern Time: 8:15 PM
• Central Time: 7:15 PM
• Mountain Time: 6:15 PM
• Pacific Time: 5:15 PM