Updated Aug. 16, 2026, 1:04 p.m. ET
The Buffalo Bills (1-0) came into the 2026 NFL offseason with the hope of finally being able to get over the hump and give themselves a chance of competing in the Super Bowl for the championship. Buffalo’s first test of what the roster looks like came in Saturday’s preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers (0-1) and the Bills are off to a great start so far.
The Bills beat the Panthers, 29-14, in a dominant win in which star quarterback Josh Allen and wide receiver DJ Moore appeared to have some chemistry this early in the preseason. Allen finished the contest having completed 6-of-8 passes for 111 yards and one touchdown while Moore caught three of his four targets for 61 yards as he made his debut with his new team.
For the Panthers, quarterback Kenny Pickett was the standout as he completed 16 of his 19 passes for 92 yards and one touchdown while spreading the ball all around the formation throughout his time on the field.
With that, here is Bills Wire’s stock report for Week 1 of the preseason:
Stock Up: QB Josh Allen
Allen has plenty of weight to carry as the engine that makes Buffalo’s offense go and against a team like the Panthers, he showed his ability to run the offense to perfection. Allen did not record a carry so it seems like he’s taking it easy to begin the preseason, but he still showed his penchant for stringing together completions for his pass-catchers.
Your fantasy edge starts here Sync your league for custom roster advice, projections, and tools to win your matchups every week.Stock Down: TE Jackson Hawes
At this point in the preseason, Hawes is one of the players competing for playing time given that Buffalo’s tight end room also includes Dawson Knox and Dalton Kincaid. Hawes caught his lone target for six yards and didn’t do much outside of that so the hope is that he can be more productive as the preseason goes on and he gets more comfortable with the offense.
Stock Up: CB Jordan Hancock
Similar to Hawes, Hancock is vying for more playing time and more opportunities in a Buffalo defensive backfield that has some depth amongst the starters already. However, Hancock finished the contest with four tackles (all solo) and two tackles for loss, showing how effective he can be in run support if the Bills need him to help in a pinch.
Stock Down: DT TJ Sanders
Sanders is one of the players that make up Buffalo’s defensive line depth, but with him entering his second season, he has to show some improvement as it pertains to the Bills’ run-stuffing ability. Sanders had just one tackle on the day and while players like Sanders are not spending too much time on the field during the preseason, he could still show more before the preseason is over.
Stock Up: WR DJ Moore
One of the biggest questions facing the Bills coming into this preseason was how well Moore would into the offense with Josh Allen throwing him the football and Joe Douglas now assuming the role of the head coach. Moore not only got open enough to command four targets and lead the team in receiving yards, but he showed that he can make big plays for Allen and company.
Stock Neutral: WR Keon Coleman
Coleman finished this game having caught three of his four targets for 17 yards and one touchdown and while that’s a good sign for the third-year receiver, his standards have been raised at this point in his career. Coleman is likely in a prove-it kind of year, especially with Buffalo adding players like Moore to the roster to help out Allen in the passing attack.