The Buffalo Bills will attempt to move one step closer to the playoffs without one of their most talked-about young receivers.

Wide receiver Keon Coleman is inactive for Buffalo’s Week 16 road game against the Cleveland Browns, a surprise decision given that the second-year wideout did not appear on the injury report at any point this week.

NFL Network reporter Cameron Wolfe said Sunday morning that Coleman’s deactivation is a coach’s decision rather than a discipline-related issue. It marks the third game Coleman has missed this season and immediately reshapes Buffalo’s offensive rotation as it plays with postseason implications on the line.

Coleman, a 2024 second-round pick, has 36 receptions for 355 yards and four touchdowns this season. While his production has fluctuated, his absence is notable given the stakes: the Bills can clinch a playoff berth with a win and a loss by either the Texans or Colts.

Buffalo can also strengthen its grip on the AFC East, where it is pursuing a sixth consecutive division title.

Bills activate Mecole Hardman, adjust receiving group

The Bills will have help elsewhere. Wide receiver Mecole Hardman Jr., activated from injured reserve earlier this week, is active and expected to absorb snaps vacated by Coleman. Buffalo also elevated kicker Michael Badgley and defensive end Andre Jones Jr. from the practice squad, both of whom are active.

Hardman’s availability gives Buffalo additional speed and flexibility, particularly in motion packages and special-teams looks, even if Coleman’s size and contested-catch ability are difficult to replicate.

Week 16 inactives: Bills vs Browns

Buffalo Bills inactives:

• WR Keon Coleman
• WR Gabe Davis
• K Matt Prater
• S Darnell Savage
• DT Jordan Phillips
• OL Tylan Grable
• DT Larry Ogunjobi

Cleveland Browns inactives:

• CB Denzel Ward
• RB Dylan Sampson
• DT Mike Hall Jr.
• G Wyatt Teller
• WR Jamari Thrash
• TE David Njoku
• DT Sam Kamara

Cleveland’s inactive list is significant in its own right. Cornerback Denzel Ward and tight end David Njoku are both unavailable, weakening the Browns on opposite sides of the ball against a Buffalo team built to exploit mismatches.

Kickoff and playoff context

Bills–Browns kicks off at 1 p.m. ET in Cleveland. Buffalo enters the game knowing that a victory, combined with the right results elsewhere, could lock up a postseason spot before Week 17.

For Coleman, the decision adds another chapter to an uneven season that has featured flashes of promise alongside periods of reduced trust. For the Bills, the focus is narrower: surviving December, stacking wins, and positioning themselves for January football — whoever lines up at receiver.

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