The Buffalo Bills and their top wide receiver, DJ Moore, are right back in the same boat they were last week going into the Week 6 game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Moore is trying to work through a shoulder injury that he has been dealing with since Week 2. Moore was diagnosed with an AC joint sprain after that game and re-aggravated the injury in Week 4.
Last week, Moore was given the questionable label before he sat out, and the Bills were able to overcome his absence with a 37-point performance to beat the Los Angeles Rams.
In Week 6, Moore logged just one limited practice on Friday before he was once again labeled as questionable to play. Here's what we know about Moore's status for Week 6 against the Raiders.
Is DJ Moore playing today?
We have not gotten an answer yet, either from the team or via reports.
"We'll see how they field coming off the field. Look at it on tape. See what it looked like and have discussions," head coach Joe Brady said on Friday. "I say it every week, if they're ready to go, they're gonna play."
The fact that Moore only had one limited practice during the week is a definite red flag that he doesn't have a great chance to play.
One Bills beat writer doesn't think Moore is going to play, and for good reason.
WGR 550's Sal Capaccio said on Friday that he believes the Bills are going to sit Moore because they will want to try and get him healthy and now is a good time to do so.
After facing Las Vegas in Week 6, the Bills have a bye, which allows them to give Moore another week of rest without him having to miss another game.
"My feeling is no. Not playing, that's my feeling, that he wouldn't play," Capaccio said of Moore. "He wants to play. We know that, right? He wants to play, that's just in his nature.
"But, guys, I mean, they went to L.A. and won a game without him, still scored 37 points... And then, they have a bye next week. It doesn't seem like it's smart to put him on the field unless he's actually truly healthy enough."
That would be the logical move for the Bills, who are sitting at 4-1 and are fully capable of beating Las Vegas without Moore on the field. The last thing Buffalo can afford is to see Moore's injury worsen and him miss extended time.
We suspect Moore will not play in Week 6.
DJ Moore fantasy advice
Even if Moore plays, we wouldn't start him. The risk of re-injury would just be too great and he may end up leaving early again. Furthermore, waiting for him until the late window of games amounts to a roll of the dice in and of itself.
If Moore is out, Khalil Shakir and Keon Coleman become starting options in fantasy football. Shakir had three for 80 last week and Coleman only had one for seven and a score, but he has proven reliable this season and ranks as WR24 overall the last three weeks, according to Fantasy Pros.
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