The Buffalo Bills are limping into the divisional round of the NFL playoffs, but not for lack of grit. In a season already marked by adversity, the Bills will travel to Denver this Saturday to face the top-seeded Broncos, carrying the weight of multiple devastating injuries—most notably to their wide receiver corps. The team confirmed this week that Tyrell Shavers, one of the season’s breakout stories, suffered a torn ACL in the wild-card win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Even more astonishing, Shavers played through the injury for much of the second half, a testament to his toughness and commitment.
Head coach Sean McDermott announced on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, that Shavers’ torn ACL was sustained during a special teams play with 4:41 left in the second quarter. After being helped off the field and initially ruled questionable, Shavers returned to the game and finished with one catch for 14 yards, playing 54% of Buffalo’s offensive snaps. “He embodies what we’re all about,” McDermott said. “For him to then come back into the game, and then for it to turn out to be what it was is remarkable. Remarkable toughness, remarkable commitment to the team.”
Shavers’ injury is just the latest blow. In the same wild-card matchup, wide receiver Gabe Davis also tore his ACL after taking a hard hit in the fourth quarter. With Joshua Palmer already sidelined due to an ankle injury and placed on injured reserve the previous week, Buffalo’s receiver room has been decimated at the worst possible time. The team now has only three healthy wideouts on the active roster: Khalil Shakir, veteran Brandin Cooks, and rookie Keon Coleman. That’s it. For a team built around quarterback Josh Allen’s arm, the situation couldn’t be more precarious.
Yet, there’s a glimmer of hope. Curtis Samuel, who had been out with an elbow injury, returned to practice this week and was listed as a full participant in the team’s walk-through session on Tuesday. His practice window has officially opened, giving Buffalo the chance to activate him in time for the showdown in Denver. The Bills also have Mecole Hardman Jr., Kristian Wilkerson, and Stephen Gosnell waiting in the wings on the practice squad. But with so many unfamiliar faces potentially seeing significant snaps, the pressure is on for Allen and offensive coordinator Joe Brady to get creative.
Shavers’ story this season has been one for the books. At 26, he finally made the 53-man roster out of training camp after being released in final cuts in both 2023 and 2024. He played in all 17 regular-season games, contributing 23 receptions for 245 yards and a touchdown—a memorable 43-yard score against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 11. Shavers also made his presence felt on special teams, logging 241 snaps (55.5% of the team’s total). His journey from preseason standout—highlighted by a one-handed touchdown grab in the finale and a 58-yard catch in the opener—to reliable contributor has been a bright spot in an otherwise turbulent year for the Bills’ receiving unit.
“Just amazing what he was able to do to come back in the game and play the way that he did. Tough loss, certainly praying for him,” McDermott added, echoing the sentiments of the entire locker room. Shavers’ recovery from surgery is expected to extend well into the 2026 season, meaning the Bills will have to plan for life without his steady presence both now and in the months ahead.
The Broncos, meanwhile, are dealing with their own injury concerns—but with a bit more optimism. Safety Brandon Jones, who underwent surgery for a pectoral injury after being placed on injured reserve almost a month ago, remains a long shot to return this season. Despite some reports suggesting he could make it back by Super Bowl 60 if Denver advances that far, head coach Sean Payton poured cold water on that idea after Tuesday’s practice. “I don’t think so, I don’t think so,” Payton said when asked if Jones might return. Still, the Broncos have room for up to three players to be designated to return from IR, and both center Luke Wattenberg (shoulder) and running back J.K. Dobbins (foot) are candidates for a possible AFC Championship game comeback. Wattenberg and Jones were spotted working on a sidefield during practice, fueling speculation but offering no guarantees.
Coming off a first-round bye, Denver is in relatively good health compared to their battered opponents. The Broncos are preparing for the Bills with an eye on exploiting Buffalo’s depleted receiver group, but they’re not taking anything for granted. The Bills have proven resilient all season, and Allen remains a dangerous playmaker—injuries or not. The quarterback was listed as limited on the injury report with a lingering foot issue, as well as a knee and right finger injury picked up against Jacksonville. Yet Allen was upbeat when speaking to the media: “I feel good. Honestly, I feel better than I have the last few weeks on a ... I know it’s a Tuesday for us, but on a Wednesday-type mindset. Feel good.”
The Bills’ playoff hopes now hinge on the ability of their remaining receivers to step up. McDermott put it bluntly: “Another guy’s got to step up. That’s point-blank what it means. And I don’t mean to be short. It’s just right now, it’s full confidence in the guys in that room, and we brought back Kristian Wilkerson, and he’ll be a good addition back to us on the practice squad, and we go from there.” The message is clear—next man up, however daunting the task may be.
Adding a layer of intrigue, the Bills released wide receiver Elijah Moore in October, only to see him land on Denver’s practice squad. Due to league rules, Buffalo is barred from signing Moore off Denver’s practice squad ahead of this weekend’s matchup. It’s a twist that underscores just how thin the margins are in the NFL playoffs, where roster depth can make or break a season.
As Saturday’s divisional clash approaches, both teams are bracing for a battle defined as much by resilience as by talent. The Bills, battered but unbowed, will look to Allen and their patchwork receiving corps to keep their Super Bowl dreams alive. The Broncos, healthy and hungry, know they can’t overlook a Buffalo team that has made a habit of overcoming the odds. One thing’s for sure—the drama is far from over, and the stakes couldn’t be higher as the AFC’s best collide in Denver.
