The Buffalo Bills are dealing with some concerning injuries as the team kicks off the NFL season against the Houston Texans. One concern is that Josh Allen may have a shortage of playmakers to utilize in the backfield.
Ty Johnson continues to be held out of Bills practices ahead of the Texans matchup as the running back is working through a hamstring injury. Unfortunately, this means that the Bills only have two healthy running backs on the active roster in James Cook and Ray Davis.
Buffalo also has Frank Gore Jr. who the team can elevate from the practice squad. With Johnson not practicing, it would be a surprise if the running back plays against the Texans.
“With Ty Johnson still not practicing, the Bills have only three running backs practicing on the overall 70-man roster,” WGR 550’s Sal Capaccio detailed in a September 10, 2026, message on X.
“James Cook, Ray Davis, and Frank Gore, Jr., who could be elevated from the practice squad Sunday.”
Here’s what you need to know about the Bills-Texans game.
Joe Brady Makes His Debut as Bills Coach vs. Texans
The good news for the Bills is that Cook is one of the best running backs in the NFL. Yet, the challenge is that Buffalo has little insurance behind the star if Cook sustains an unfortunate injury.
Buffalo is facing one of the NFL’s top defenses in Houston. The matchup also marks the beginning of the Joe Brady era in Buffalo.
“We’re just trying to do everything we can to go 1-0,” Brady said ahead of the Bills-Texans game, per Audacy.com.
“You can talk keys and everything, but we’re just trying to score one more point than them. There’s no such thing as an ugly win. I don’t care about any of that. It’s everybody buying into whatever the hell we’ve got to do to get that done,” Brady added.
“We shouldn’t have to change who we are, whether we go on the road or we’re playing a team that had a successful record. If we change who we are based on who we’re playing, then we’re not the type of team that we want to be.”
Josh Allen Sends Strong Message to Bills Amid Joe Brady’s Debut
The Bills are a 1.5-point road favorite against the Texans, per FanDuel. It may be Brady’s first year as the Bills head coach, but Allen already has great familiarity with Buffalo’s leader.
Prior to getting the promotion, Brady’s experience includes stints as the Bills offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Allen had a message for his Bills teammates as Brady takes over.
“This is Year 1 in the Joe Brady era,” Allen noted, per ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg. “What he’s doing it’s going to take the conviction to buy in, in order to achieve what we want to achieve.
“And it’s going to take everybody in this locker room to do it.”
Bills Dealt Concerning News Days Before Texans Game in NFL Week 1