Is Keon Coleman a must-start in Week 5 if DJ Moore is out?

DJ Moore injury update

For the second time in three weeks, the Bills lost top wide receiver DJ Moore to a shoulder injury, and in his absence Keon Coleman stepped up and excelled in a larger role.

Moore initially sustained the injury in Week 2 against the Lions. He played in Week 3 against the Chargers, catching six passes for 67 yards, but he had to leave early in Week 4 against the Patriots after aggravating the injury diving to try and make a catch on the sideline.

Moore did not return to the game, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the injury is not seen as a serious or long-term issue. The team could opt to give him a week to recover, and it’s even possible that the team gives him a couple of weeks off with a Week 7 bye just around the corner.

Moore will have an extra day to recover before missing a game since the Bills don’t play until Monday in Week 5, when they visit the Rams at SoFi Stadium in an awesome matchup.

Keon Coleman’s Potential Upside

If Moore is ruled out, Keon Coleman would be an excellent option to start in Week 5. He stepped up in both games that Moore departed and would be a WR3 with upside if Moore is out. Coleman had six catches for 63 yards against the Lions when Moore first got hurt, and in Week 4 against the Patriots, he caught six of his seven targets for 116 yards and a touchdown.

Coleman is in a very limited role when Moore is healthy, but with more targets and production available, he’s worth grabbing from the waiver wire to see if the Bills opt to be cautious after Moore’s latest injury. If Moore gets next week off against the Rams, Coleman and Khalil Shakir would both get a big boost in what should be an up-tempo, exciting matchup against the Rams in primetime.

Coleman will be a must-start in standard-sized leagues that start three receivers if Moore is out, and he could even be on the radar for shallower formats since he has legitimate WR2 upside based on his volume and production in Moore’s absence.