The Buffalo Bills will take on the Houston Texans this Sunday to kick off Week 1 of the 2026 season . Head coach Joe Brady will be under immense pressure as he takes over for Sean McDermott , who had plenty of success during his nine seasons but never won a Super Bowl.
Brady will be expected to win immediately, giving him loftier goals than any other first-year head coach . He's not alone in feeling the pressure either, as defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard is going to be asked to fix things on that side of the ball, which is no easy task when considering that he's bringing in an entirely new scheme.
The pressure isn't limited to coaches, however, as the players are going to be expected to rise to the challenge. That said, here's a look at the three players likely feeling the most pressure in the season opener.
Buffalo Bills offensive guard Alec Anderson lines up for a play against the Carolina Panthers. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The Bills lost one of their starting offensive linemen this offseason when David Edwards signed with the New Orleans Saints . Set to take his place is Alec Anderson, who is playing on a one-year deal. He's spent the past several years grooming for this role and while he played well in Week 18 against the New York Jets , being the day one starter is a far greater challenge. Anderson has a golden opportunity to establish himself as a viable NFL starter, but he could also prove to be the weak link on an otherwise strong line.
Buffalo Bills Dorian Williams waits his turn at the drill during the Return of the Blue and Red practice at Highmark Stadium. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Under Jim Leonhard, the Bills will play in more of a 3-4 base with Greg Rousseau and Bradley Chubb playing outside linebacker. At inside linebacker, they're going to lean on Terrel Bernard and Dorian Williams, although Williams wasn't guaranteed the starting role.
Throughout camp, he was being pushed by rookie Kaleb Elarms-Orr , who was a standout. In the end, Williams held him off, but if he slips at all, the calls for Elarms-Orr will begin to rain down.
Buffalo Bills wide receiver DJ Moore runs with the ball after making a catch against the Carolina Panthers. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
In need of a new WR1 for Josh Allen , Buffalo sent the 60th overall pick to the Chicago Bears in exchange for DJ Moore. They were hit with plenty of criticism for the move , with some saying the Bills overpaid for Moore. Buffalo believes they made the right call, especially since Moore had plenty of success when Joe Brady was his offensive coordinator with the Carolina Panthers .
Moore had an excellent debut, hauling in three receptions for 61 yards. It was a short sample size, but it gives the Bills hope entering Week 1. Even with that hope, there's plenty of pressure on Moore as he's being asked to take Buffalo's aerial attack to the next level.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/bills/onsi as Three Buffalo Bills' Players Under Most Pressure in Week 1 vs. Texans .
