Los Angeles Chargers at Buffalo Bills

Injuries noted

Los Angeles Chargers: Isaiah World (NFI-R) — nfi-r; Tyler Biadasz (IR) — The Chargers placed Biadasz (knee) on injured reserve Sunday.; Scott Matlock (IR-R) — Matlock (undisclosed) was placed on injured reserve by the Chargers on Sunday with a designation to return.; Denzel Perryman (IR) — ir; Branson Taylor (IR-R) — The Chargers placed Taylor (undisclosed) on injured reserve Sunday with a designation to return, Ian Rapoport of ESPN and NFL Network reports.; Deane Leonard (Questionable) — questionable; Elijah Molden (Out) — Molden (hamstring) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Bills.; KeAndre Lambert-Smith (IR) — The Chargers placed Lambert-Smith (hamstring) on injured reserve Tuesday.; Trey Pipkins III (IR) — The Chargers placed Pipkins (knee) on injured reserve Saturday.; Dalvin Tomlinson (Out) — Tomlinson (hamstring) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Bills.; Derwin James Jr. (Questionable) — James (finger) did not participate at practice Wednesday.; David Njoku (IR) — The Chargers placed Njoku (fibula) on injured reserve Wednesday.; Kayode Awosika (Out) — Awosika (leg) is listed as out for Sunday's game against the Bills.; Charlie Kolar (Out) — Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh said Wednesday that Kolar (forearm) won't play Sunday in Buffalo but is expected to avoid placement on injured reserve, Kris Rhim of ESPN.com reports.; Brenen Thompson (Out) — Thompson (quadriceps) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Bills.; Rodney Shelley (Questionable) — questionable; Rashawn Slater (Questionable) — questionable; Cole Strange (Questionable) — questionable; Tuli Tuipulotu (Questionable) — questionable; Trey Lance (Questionable) — Lance was a limited participant in Friday's practice due to a groin injury and is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Bills.

Buffalo Bills: Tyrell Shavers (PUP-R) — out; Dorian Strong (NFI-R) — nfi-r; Ty Johnson (Questionable) — questionable; Phidarian Mathis (Reserve-Sus) — reserve-sus; Zane Durant (IR-R) — ir; T.J. Sanders (Out) — Sanders (appendix) won't play in Sunday's game against the Chargers.; Ar'maj Reed-Adams (Questionable) — questionable; Ed Oliver (Questionable) — Oliver (hip) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Chargers.; DJ Moore (Questionable) — Head coach Joe Brady said Friday that Moore (shoulder) will be listed as questionable and a game-time decision for Sunday's contest against the Chargers, Katherine Fitzgerald of The Buffalo News reports.; Keon Coleman (Questionable) — Coleman (ankle), who is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Chargers, is expected to play, Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network reports.; Jordan Hancock (IR) — The Bills placed Hancock (hamstring) on injured reserve Friday.

QUARTERBACK

• Justin Herbert is the projected starting quarterback for LAC

  7.43 Y/A

  Through 2 games in 2026, Justin Herbert threw for 401 passing yards, completed 59.3% of his passes and averaged 7.43 yards per attempt. Last season over 16 games he threw for 3727 yards, completed 66.4% and averaged 7.28 yards per attempt, 26-13 touchdowns to interceptions. This season's 2-3 touchdown-to-interception line is 2 games in.

• Josh Allen is the projected starting quarterback for BUF

  9.7 Y/A

  Through 2 games in 2026, Josh Allen threw for 582 passing yards, completed 66.7% of his passes and averaged 9.7 yards per attempt. Last season over 17 games he threw for 3668 yards, completed 69.3% and averaged 7.97 yards per attempt, 25-10 touchdowns to interceptions. This season's 5-0 touchdown-to-interception line is 2 games in.

TRENCHES

• BUF: 144.5 rushing yards per game to LAC's 104

  40.5 YPG

  LAC is at 104 rushing yards per game over 2 games; BUF is at 144.5 over 2 games. Those are this season's games through Sep 26. Last season LAC was at 121.6 over 17 games and BUF at 159.6 over 17 games.

• BUF: 4.85 yards per rush attempt to LAC's 3.95

  0.9 Y/C

  LAC is at 3.95 yards per rush attempt over 2 games; BUF is at 4.85 over 2 games. Those are this season's games through Sep 26. Last season LAC was at 4.58 over 17 games and BUF at 4.97 over 17 games.

PASS RUSH

• BUF: 3.5 sacks recorded per game to LAC's 1.5

  2 SACKS

  Buffalo's pass rush has produced more sacks through 2 games than the Chargers' has. Two games can turn on a few high-leverage dropbacks, and this sheet offers no opponent or pressure context to explain the difference. For this matchup, sacks are a reason to check passing-game risk, not a standalone case for either side.

PACE & SCRIPT

• BUF: 38.5 points per game to LAC's 14

  24.5 PPG

  Buffalo is turning drives into points at a far higher rate, while the Chargers have opened well below their 21.6 points per game last season. This is only 2 games, though Buffalo's 38.5 also sits above its 28.3 last-season mark. The scoring gap matters most if Los Angeles cannot keep the game close enough to limit Buffalo's offensive volume.

• LAC @ BUF carries a 50.5 market total

  50.5

  Seven points above the slate median, this number expects LAC at BUF to produce more combined offense than most games on the board. The total has room to move if game-specific information changes the outlook for either offense, so it is a useful benchmark for judging whether the market is pricing enough scoring.

• LAC: 26 points allowed per game to BUF's 31

  5 PPG

  LAC is at 26 points allowed per game over 2 games; BUF is at 31 over 2 games. Those are this season's games through Sep 26. Last season LAC was at 20 over 17 games and BUF at 21.5 over 17 games.

TURNOVERS

• BUF: 1 takeaways per game to LAC's 0.5

  0.5 TO

  Buffalo has created more takeaways than Los Angeles through 2 games. Turnovers can shape a game fast, but this is only a 2-game sample and one extra takeaway can materially change the gap.

EXPLOSIVE PLAYS

• BUF: 7.2 yards per play to LAC's 5.15

  2.05 Y/P

  Buffalo is creating far more yardage on each snap, which points to an offense finding explosive plays rather than living on long drives. The 2-game sample includes 7 plays of 20+ yards for Buffalo in its last game, while Los Angeles had 1, led by a 53-yard pass to Tre' Harris. Buffalo's 7.2 is above 5.94 last season, so explosive-play volume is the pressure point for Los Angeles.

RED ZONE

• LAC: 50% red-zone scoring allowed to BUF's 77.8%

  27.8 PP

  Los Angeles has been better at forcing field goals near the goal line than Buffalo through 2 games. The Chargers' 2-game sample offers an early red-zone advantage, while Buffalo's number leaves room for regression in either direction.

• BUF: 4 red-zone trips per game to LAC's 2.5

  1.5 TRIPS

  LAC is at 2.5 red-zone trips per game over 2 games; BUF is at 4 over 2 games. Those are this season's games through Sep 26. Last season LAC was at 3.35 over 17 games and BUF at 3.82 over 17 games.

MISMATCH

• BUF: 0 turnovers a game to LAC's 2.5

  0 VS 2.5

  Buffalo has not turned the ball over in 2 games, while the Chargers have given it away 2.5 times a game. That is a major early reversal for Los Angeles after 1.24 turnovers a game last season, while Buffalo was at 1.12. The Chargers need cleaner possessions to keep this from becoming a field-position game, because extra Buffalo drives can shape both scoring chances and tempo.

COVERAGE

• LAC: 35.7% third downs allowed to BUF's 40.7%

  5 PP

  LAC is at 35.7% third downs allowed over 2 games; BUF is at 40.7% over 2 games. Those are what each defense has allowed in this season's games through Sep 26.

REPLACEMENT

• David Njoku (TE) is on injured reserve for LAC

  IR

  Njoku is on injured reserve with a fibula injury after the Chargers made the move Wednesday. He is out of the lineup for the trip to Buffalo, leaving Los Angeles without its tight end in this game.

• Jordan Hancock (CB) is on injured reserve for BUF

  IR

  Hancock is on injured reserve with a hamstring injury after Buffalo placed him there Friday. He is unavailable against the Chargers, leaving the Bills without a cornerback for this game.

• KeAndre Lambert-Smith (WR) is on injured reserve for LAC

  IR

  Lambert-Smith is on injured reserve with a hamstring injury after the Chargers placed him there Tuesday. He is unavailable for the game at Buffalo, taking a Chargers wide receiver out of the active lineup.

• Trey Pipkins III (OT) is on injured reserve for LAC

  IR

  Pipkins is on injured reserve with a knee injury after the Chargers placed him there Saturday. He is unavailable at Buffalo, removing a Chargers offensive tackle from the line for this matchup.

PRACTICE REPORT

• T.J. Sanders

  Out

  Illness · Did not practice · Out

• Brenen Thompson

  Out

  Quadricep · Did not practice · Out

• Charlie Kolar

  Out

  Forearm · Did not practice · Out

• Kayode Awosika

  Out

  Fibula · Did not practice · Out

• Elijah Molden

  Out

  Hamstring · Did not practice · Out

• Dalvin Tomlinson

  Out

  Hamstring · Did not practice · Out

• Rodney Shelley

  Questionable

  Hamstring · Limited practice · Questionable

• DJ Moore

  Questionable

  Shoulder · Limited practice · Questionable

• Keon Coleman

  Questionable

  Ankle · Limited practice · Questionable

• Ar'maj Reed-Adams

  Questionable

  Elbow · Limited practice · Questionable

• Ed Oliver

  Questionable

  Hip · Full practice · Questionable

• Trey Lance

  Questionable

  Groin · Limited practice · Questionable

• Terrel Bernard

  DNP

  Did not practice

• Cole Bishop

  LP

  Limited practice

• Derius Davis

  FP

  Full practice

• Bradley Chubb

  FP

  Full practice

• Bud Dupree

  FP

  Full practice

• Teair Tart

  FP

  Full practice

• Tuli Tuipulotu

  FP

  Full practice

• Cole Strange

  FP

  Full practice

• Deane Leonard

  FP

  Full practice

• Ladd McConkey

  FP

  Full practice

• Khalil Mack

  FP

  Full practice

• Akheem Mesidor

  FP

  Full practice

• Joe Andreessen

  FP

  Full practice

• Ty Johnson

  FP

  Full practice

• Rashawn Slater

  FP

  Full practice

• Derwin James Jr.

  FP

  Full practice

SITUATIONAL

• LAC (0-2) at BUF (2-0)

  +39 PT GAP

  Buffalo has opened 2-0 with a +15 point margin, while the Chargers are 0-2 and -24. Both clubs carry two-game streaks in opposite directions, but Buffalo's only home result was a win and the Chargers have no road result listed. The Bills have the early profile of the steadier side, while Los Angeles needs its first road sample to change the picture.

• LAC: 1.5 fourth-down attempts per game to BUF's 0.5

  1 ATT/G

  LAC is at 1.5 fourth-down attempts per game over 2 games; BUF is at 0.5 over 2 games. Those are this season's games through Sep 26. Last season LAC was at 1.24 over 17 games and BUF at 1.88 over 17 games.

• BUF has 3 more days of rest

  7d vs 10d

  Buffalo gets three extra days to reset, with 10 days off and a bye behind it while the Chargers had the standard seven-day turn. That gives Buffalo more time for recovery, game planning and any lineup decisions. The Chargers need to manage a normal weekly install on the road, while the Bills arrive with the fresher calendar.

AFTER GARY

• BUF -7.5 → -7.5

  NO MOVE

  Gary's number was -7.5; the market closed at -7.5.