Keon

Coleman

With the Bills sitting the majority of their starters, Keon Coleman was able to work himself back into a larger role in the passing game. It was also clear that the Bills, or Mitchell Trubisky, were making a concerted effort to give Coleman some key targets in the hopes of getting him into a bit of rhythm before the postseason. This year has certainly not gone the way Coleman and the Bills wanted, but he can go a long way towards redeeming himself with a strong postseason.

Kincaid was listed as questionable with a knee injury, and he will not be able to play, which is a significant blow to the Bills’ offense. It’s also a big blow to Kincaid’s future status in Buffalo. Early on this season, he looked to be headed towards a breakout season, but this is now the second year in a row he’s been hard to rely on because of injuries. That may cause Buffalo not to pick up his fifth-year option this offseason. Dawson Knox (knee) will be active and could take on a big role in a rain-soaked game, and Gabe Davis will be active, with Keon Coleman a healthy inactive yet again.

Coleman didn’t record an official target in Week 15 against the Patriots and has been a healthy scratch on multiple occasions this season. Coleman has caught 36 passes for 355 yards and four touchdowns this season, but has caught just four passes in his last three games played.

Technically, Coleman was targeted once and dropped the ball on a key fourth-down play, but the refs called defensive pass interference, which negated the play. One week after tying for the team lead in targets, this was not the performance the Bills were hoping for.

Those three targets tied Khalil Shakir for the most among Bills’ wide receivers, so that’s an important piece of context. The Bengals came into today as the worst defense against tight ends, so the Bills peppered all of their tight ends with targets all game. Coleman caught a slant from Josh Allen on an audible in the red zone and was tackled down at the one, but it was a nice sign of trust from Allen in his young receiver. We still wouldn’t be looking to pick him up in redraft leagues.

Coleman’s touchdown came in the third quarter on a broken play in which Josh Allen looked for a screen pass that was snuffed out and then tried to step up in the pocket to scramble. Allen took two steps and saw a defender bearing down on him, so he looked up and saw Coleman wide open in the back of the end zone. Coleman later dropped a quick slant route and then caught another quick slant in the fourth quarter. It wasn’t a great showing, but it was better than him being a healthy inactive. We still doubt there is some huge breakout coming.

With Curtis Samuel on the IR and Josh Palmer battling an ankle injury, Keon Coleman will be back on the active roster after two weeks as a healthy inactive. If there was ever a time for the 2024 second-round pick to get back in his team’s good graces, it would be with the offense short-handed against the Steelers on Sunday.

This will be Coleman’s fourth occasion missing game time due to disciplinary reasons in less than two years in the NFL. Kincaid (hamstring) and Samuel (elbow/neck) are both out due to injury. With Coleman out last week, the Bills relied on a wide receiver rotation including Khalil Shakir, Tyrell Shavers, Gabe Davis, Mecole Hardman, Joshua Palmer and Samuel. Hardman has since been placed on injured reserve. A heavy rotation is still expected against the Texans’ elite pass defense.

The Bills declared Coleman inactive last week for disciplinary reasons, marking “the third time Coleman has missed game time in his two-year career due to disciplinary issues.” He was held out in the first quarter of a game against the Jaguars last year and was again held out for the Bills’ first offensive series against the Patriots in Week 5. The Bills are employing a heavy wide receiver rotation on the perimeter with Coleman sitting on the bench.

The team disciplined Coleman by making him a healthy inactive for Week 11 against the Bucs. The Bills reportedly planned on playing Coleman in his usual role this week before he missed the Friday meeting. Coleman has 32 receptions on 49 targets this season for 330 yards and three touchdowns. His absence will likely open up more routes and targets for Josh Palmer, who becomes a desperation fantasy option in deeper formats with Coleman being inactive against Tampa.