The Detroit Lions and Buffalo Bills are heading into a major Week 2 Thursday Night Football matchup with several players dealing with injuries.
Detroit has bigger concerns along the offensive line, while Buffalo is monitoring several defensive players and running back Ty Johnson. The latest official injury reports show multiple players practicing on a limited basis, while others have missed practice.
The Lions and Bills are both 1-0 entering Thursday night’s game at Buffalo’s new Highmark Stadium.
Lions vs Bills Injury Report
Here is the latest injury situation heading into Thursday night:
| Team | Player | Position | Injury | Latest Practice |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lions | Christian Mahogany | G | Hip | DNP |
| Lions | Blake Miller | OT | Knee | DNP |
| Lions | D.J. Reed | CB | Foot | Limited |
| Lions | Juice Scruggs | C | Knee | Limited |
| Lions | Christian Izien | S | Groin | Full |
| Bills | Terrel Bernard | LB | Calf | Limited |
| Bills | Cole Bishop | S | Knee/Groin | Limited |
| Bills | Bradley Chubb | OLB | Thumb | Full |
| Bills | Jordan Hancock | DB | Quad | Full |
| Bills | Ty Johnson | RB | Hamstring | Limited |
| Bills | T.J. Sanders | DL | Knee/Illness | DNP |
The official Bills injury report lists Bernard, Bishop, Chubb, Hancock, Johnson and Sanders, while Detroit’s report includes Mahogany, Miller, Reed, Scruggs and Izien.
Detroit Lions Injury Updates
Christian Mahogany
Christian Mahogany is one of Detroit’s biggest injury concerns heading into Thursday night.
The offensive lineman is dealing with a hip injury and has not participated in practice this week. He originally suffered the injury during Detroit’s Week 1 overtime victory over New Orleans.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell indicated that Mahogany’s chances of playing Thursday were less encouraging than Blake Miller’s.
If Mahogany cannot play, Ben Bartch could again see significant snaps at left guard.
That could be important against Buffalo’s defensive front, particularly if Detroit is forced to make multiple changes along the offensive line.
Blake Miller
Rookie offensive tackle Blake Miller is dealing with a knee injury.
Miller was listed as a non-participant in practice. However, his situation has not been treated as an automatic absence.
Campbell previously said Miller had a better chance of playing than Mahogany. Miller himself has remained optimistic about his availability.
If Miller cannot play, veteran Larry Borom is expected to be an option at right tackle.
Juice Scruggs
Center Juice Scruggs is another offensive lineman to monitor.
He is dealing with a knee issue and has participated on a limited basis. That is a better practice trend than Mahogany and Miller, but his final status still matters.
Detroit could therefore enter Thursday night with uncertainty at three offensive-line positions.
D.J. Reed
Cornerback D.J. Reed was added to the Lions’ injury report with a foot injury.
He participated on a limited basis Tuesday. The timing is worth watching because Detroit’s secondary already has important players dealing with longer-term injuries.
Reed’s availability could be particularly important against Buffalo quarterback Josh Allen and the Bills’ passing attack.
Christian Izien
There is better news regarding safety Christian Izien.
Izien has practiced fully while dealing with a groin injury. The latest report therefore gives Detroit some positive momentum in its secondary.
Buffalo Bills Injury Updates
The Bills enter Thursday night with a smaller group of immediate concerns.
Terrel Bernard
Linebacker Terrel Bernard is dealing with a calf injury.
He has been limited in practice. Bernard’s availability matters because he is an important part of Buffalo’s defensive communication and linebacker group.
Cole Bishop
Safety Cole Bishop is listed with a knee/groin injury.
After full participation Monday, Bishop was limited Tuesday. His practice participation heading into Thursday will be worth monitoring.
The Bills will need their defensive backs ready for Detroit’s passing game, especially with Amon-Ra St. Brown coming off a productive Week 1 performance.
Bradley Chubb
There is encouraging news for Buffalo with Bradley Chubb.
The veteran outside linebacker has been dealing with a thumb injury but participated fully in practice.
His return to full participation is an important development for Buffalo’s pass rush.
Jordan Hancock
Defensive back Jordan Hancock is dealing with a quad injury but has also participated fully.
That is another positive practice development for Buffalo ahead of Thursday’s matchup.
Ty Johnson
Running back Ty Johnson remains limited because of a hamstring injury.
Johnson was already dealing with the issue heading into Week 1, when Buffalo listed him as questionable. The team ultimately continued to monitor his progress.
His status could affect Buffalo’s running-back rotation behind James Cook.
T.J. Sanders
Defensive lineman T.J. Sanders is another player to watch.
Sanders was limited Monday and did not participate Tuesday, with the latest report listing both a knee issue and illness.
His practice status before kickoff will provide a clearer indication of his availability.
Biggest Injury Question for the Lions
The biggest storyline for Detroit is clearly the offensive line.
Mahogany and Miller have both missed practice, while Scruggs has been limited.
That creates potential uncertainty at left guard, right tackle and center.
Detroit’s offense relies heavily on its ability to establish the run and protect Jared Goff. Any last-minute changes could affect how the Lions approach Buffalo’s defensive front.
The situation is especially important because Detroit is playing on a short week after Sunday’s overtime game against New Orleans.
Biggest Injury Question for the Bills
For Buffalo, the focus is more spread across the defense and running-back room.
Bernard and Bishop are limited, while Sanders missed Tuesday’s practice. At the same time, Chubb and Hancock have been full participants.
That gives Buffalo a mixture of positive and negative injury developments heading into Thursday night.
What to Watch Before Kickoff
The injury report can still change before Thursday’s game.
The most important developments to monitor are:
- Christian Mahogany’s practice status
- Blake Miller’s knee
- D.J. Reed’s foot
- Juice Scruggs’ knee
- Terrel Bernard’s calf
- Cole Bishop’s knee/groin
- Ty Johnson’s hamstring
- T.J. Sanders’ availability
The NFL’s official injury report currently lists the game for Thursday, September 17 at 8:15 p.m. ET in Buffalo.
For fantasy football players and NFL fans, the final active/inactive announcements will be particularly important because several players remain without a final game designation.
Lions vs Bills Injury Report: Final Thoughts
The Lions vs Bills injury report is worth watching closely because Detroit appears to have more uncertainty along its offensive line, while Buffalo has several defensive players working through injuries.
Detroit’s biggest questions involve Mahogany and Miller, while Reed and Scruggs are also worth monitoring.
For Buffalo, Bernard, Bishop, Johnson and Sanders remain the main names to follow.
The final injury designations will provide the clearest picture before kickoff. Until then, practice participation remains the best indicator of how these players are progressing.
Source note: Injury information in this article is based primarily on the official NFL, Detroit Lions and Buffalo Bills injury reports available on September 16, 2026.
For the latest player updates, check our NFL Injuries page for daily injury news, practice statuses and game designations.
FAQs
Is Christian Mahogany playing against the Bills?
Mahogany is dealing with a hip injury and has not participated in practice. His final game status had not yet been officially specified in the latest report.
What happened to Blake Miller?
Miller is dealing with a knee injury after Detroit’s Week 1 game. He has missed practice, but Detroit has indicated that he could still have a chance to play Thursday.
Is D.J. Reed injured?
Yes. Reed was added to Detroit’s injury report with a foot injury and has been listed as a limited participant.
What is Ty Johnson’s injury?
Buffalo running back Ty Johnson is dealing with a hamstring injury and has been limited in practice.
When is Lions vs Bills?
The Lions visit the Bills on Thursday, September 17, 2026, at 8:15 p.m. ET.
