AFC East

The Minnesota Vikings overcame improbable odds to beat the Buffalo Bills on Sunday while also overcoming poor officiating at the end of the 33-30 overtime win at Highmark Stadium.

The Bills defense had 12 players on the field during the Vikings' 1st-and-goal play from the 2-yard line in overtime, Kevin Seifert of ESPN confirmed.

Dalvin Cook was stopped for a three-yard loss on the play, and the Vikings settled for a field goal three plays later.

"I do believe there was 12 players on the field. ... I know it's moving pretty fast out there sometimes," Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said after the game.

If the officials had caught the infraction, Minnesota would have gotten a 1st-and-goal from the 1-yard line and a better chance to end the game with a touchdown.

Instead, the goal-line stand helped Buffalo get another chance to tie or win. The Vikings still held on as Patrick Peterson intercepted Josh Allen on the next drive.

The missed call for too many men on the field wasn't the only officiating error that benefited the Bills late in the game.

After the Vikings took the lead in the final minute with a fumble recovered for a touchdown, Buffalo forced overtime with a five-play, 69-yard drive that resulted in a field goal. The biggest play on that drive was a 20-yard pass to Gabe Davis on the sideline.

Other angles of the play showed that Davis did not complete the catch, but the officials did not review it before the Bills snapped the ball.

"We were able—several plays after—to look at all the angles," referee Walt Anderson told the pool reporter after the game. "It would have been reversed to an incomplete pass because he did not maintain control of the ball after he hit the ground and the ball touched the ground out of bounds."

In both cases, the officiating mistakes gave the Bills extra chances to win.

Minnesota still prevailed, fighting back from being down 17 points in the second half to beat one of the NFL's best teams on the road. The Vikings improved to 8-1 while showcasing impressive resilience.

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick wants to expand the ability for coaches to challenge plays, even in the last two minutes of the half.

"I've been in favor of that," Belichick said Monday on WEEI's The Greg Hill Show (via Hayden Bird of Boston.com). "Now, I'm not in favor of adding more challenges, but challenging the plays."

The coach cited the controversial ending in the Minnesota Vikings' win over the Buffalo Bills, which featured a catch by Gabriel Davis that might have been overturned if it was reviewed:

The catch stood without an official review, allowing Buffalo to tie the game with a last-minute field goal. The Vikings won 33-30 in overtime.

"It's just like in the Buffalo-Minnesota game," Belichick explained. "In that two-minute situation on the [Davis] catch on the sideline, that play could've been reviewed by the officials because it was under two minutes, and either it wasn't or they missed it or however you want to characterize it."

Coaches are unable to challenge in the last two minutes of a half, so it should have come down to an official review. After the game, referee Walt Anderson admitted the officials should have stopped the game to check on the play.

"Even though it happens fast and Buffalo hurries to the line of scrimmage for the next play, if the replay official can't confirm that it was a catch on that long of a completed pass, we should stop play to ensure it was a catch," Anderson told pool reporters.

Anderson also said the call would have been reversed if they had checked all angles, which they only did a few plays later.

Belichick's desire to increase challenges, which he has discussed for nearly 10 years, would have given the Vikings an ability to throw the red flag on that play.

The coach even wants an expansion to review penalties.

"I'm saying not having the ability to challenge a play that could impact the outcome of a game—even calls like holding, pass interference, and things like that—I don't see why those plays can't be reviewed," Belichick said Monday.

Pass interference was reviewable for only the 2019 season before it was removed after several controversial calls.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen is known for his steadiness in critical situations, but his blunder late in Sunday's game against the Minnesota Vikings wound up costing his team a victory.

After the Bills defense came up with a huge goal-line stop with under a minute left in the fourth quarter, Allen fumbled the snap from under center and the Vikings recovered the ball in the end zone for a go-ahead touchdown.

Allen orchestrated a drive that ended with a field goal to force overtime, but he threw a game-sealing interception in the extra period and Buffalo came up short in a 33-30 loss. After losing in consecutive weeks, the Bills are now 6-3 and fell out of first place in the AFC East.

Allen finished the game with 330 passing yards and a touchdown while adding a team-high 84 rushing yards. However, he threw two interceptions and lost a fumble, and all three turnovers proved costly against a surging Minnesota team that earned its seventh straight win thanks to his mistakes.

Fans on social media who tuned in for the game couldn't help but find fault in Allen's decision-making in clutch moments:

Allen entered the year as the presumptive favorite to win NFL MVP. His performances in the Bills' back-to-back losses are far from the level we're accustomed to seeing from him. He also threw two picks in Buffalo's upset loss to the New York Jets last week.

The Bills will need Allen to get back on track if they hope to fulfill their expectations of competing for a Super Bowl this year. Buffalo will host the Cleveland Browns (3-6) next Sunday.

One of the NFL's most dynamic aerial attacks won't be grounded after all.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen is expected to play Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings despite an ulnar collateral ligament injury, per ESPN's Adam Schefter, which may have an adverse effect on Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis.

Through eight games, Diggs has 60 receptions for 857 yards and seven touchdowns. Davis (18 receptions, 451 yards, four touchdowns) is setting a noticeably better pace than he did in 2021.

With Allen on the mend, the Bills may rely more on a running back room that's gotten only moderate work so far this season. Starter Devin Singletary has only 79 rushing attempts, while rookie second-round pick James Cook has just 35 touches (28 carries, seven receptions).

It's unclear how much Allen's injury will impact his downfield throwing ability, which would impact Davis far more than Diggs, who tends to be involved in the offense all over the field.

Davis is a bigger variable, but he should still be considered a solid flex option in standard leagues. Diggs, of course, remains a plug-and-play must-start no matter who is under center for Buffalo.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Minnesota Vikings amid his recovery from an elbow injury.

The MVP candidate missed practice Wednesday and Thursday before returning for a limited session Friday, according to the team's injury report.

Veteran backup Case Keenum will start if the franchise cornerstone is ruled out.

Allen suffered the injury during Buffalo's 20-17 loss to the New York Jets on Sunday.

ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported Monday the 26-year-old was being evaluated for an injury to his ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) and related nerves around his elbow. The issue occurred during the Bills' final drive of the game when he was hit by Bryce Huff.

Allen remained in the game, even throwing a pass deep down the sideline that hit Gabe Davis in the hands though he was unable to hang onto the ball.

This marks the first significant injury Allen has suffered since his rookie season in 2018, when an elbow problem kept him out for four games.

Since returning from that injury, the Wyoming product has started 69 consecutive games between the regular season and playoffs. He has been one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL since the 2020 season and is on the shortlist of MVP contenders in 2022.

Allen has thrown for 2,403 yards, 19 touchdowns and has completed 64.1 percent of his pass attempts in eight games. He also leads the Bills with 392 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns.

Given how much of the offense Allen is responsible for, losing him for any length of time would significantly impact what the Bills can do.

Keenum went 2-0 in two starts for the Cleveland Browns in 2021. He has appeared in two games for the Bills, completing two of seven attempts in blowout wins over the Tennessee Titans and Pittsburgh Steelers.

With the fantasy trade deadline approaching, let's take a look at how you should value some of the skill-position players from the Buffalo Bills.

We'll start with Stefon Diggs, who is a top-five wideout and arguably a top-10 player in all of fantasy. To trade for him, you're going to need to be prepared to offer a massive haul. To depart with him, you better be getting back the kitchen sink.

Here's a piece of advice—don't trade him. Surely if you have a logjam at wideout you could trade one of your less productive players.

Now that we've settled that, we'll move over to Gabe Davis, who the Bills were clearly hoping would take a big leap in year three. He was solid in his first two campaigns, catching 70 passes for 1,148 yards and 13 touchdowns across 32 games.

On Buffalo's high-flying offense last year, however, players like Diggs, Dawson Knox, Cole Beasley and Emmanuel Sanders often took precedent over Davis. With Beasley and Sanders gone, the table was set for Davis to emerge as the true WR2 in this offense.

He's offered mixed results. Davis has struggled to be a worthwhile starter in weeks when he hasn't scored a touchdown, making him an all-or-nothing proposition. In trade talks, he's a player worth valuing as an inconsistent flex option, and nothing more.

That means you might be able to get him for below market value at this point. If you're the seller, don't expect to get back much.

We move to tight end Knox, who had become a favorite of Josh Allen's last season but has struggled to have a similar impact this year. Knox isn't a receptions machine and he hasn't been a huge red-zone threat this year, leaving him with very little value.

At this point, he's nothing more than a TE2 consideration, which means his trade value is extremely low. If you think a bounce-back might be on the horizon, he's a good buy-low candidate.

We'll close with Isaiah McKenzie who, like Davis, has struggled to make a major fantasy splash in weeks when he doesn't find the end zone. He's made even less of an impact than Davis, however, which should tell you all you need to know about his trade value.

The fantasy football trade deadline is fast approaching, leaving managers with a difficult decision on whether to sell high or keep riding the wave with the Miami Dolphins' prolific offense.

Tyreek Hill comes into Week 10 on pace to set the NFL's single-season receiving record and is the top wideout in PPR formats by a massive margin. Jaylen Waddle, meanwhile, is fifth among all wideouts in scoring through the first nine weeks of the season.

Tua Tagovailoa's overall performance has been impacted by injuries, but he is sixth among quarterbacks in per-game scoring.

Here's a look at how to value all three players as the deadline approaches.

Tua Tagovailoa

Tagovailoa has been perhaps the best value pick at the quarterback position all season. He was barely getting drafted in 12-team leagues in the preseason and is now slotted in as an every-week start.

As far as trade value goes, Tagovailoa is a firm hold because he's generally properly rated. He has 35 total rushing yards on the season, so he's never going to be able to compete with a Josh Allen or Jalen Hurts as far as top-end value. That said, the Dolphins offense is explosive enough he should have a floor of around 15 points and get into the mid-20s on most weeks.

Tyreek Hill

What are you doing? Don't you dare think about trading Tyreek Hill.

He's a fantasy monster, capable of dropping a 40-point week every time he lines up on the field while also being consistent enough to give you a double-digit floor.

And guess what? Hill has actually had bad touchdown luck this season. He's managed to be the top-scoring fantasy wideout despite having only three touchdowns and having a six-game stretch without a score before finally finding the end zone last week in Chicago.

Christian McCaffrey, Austin Ekeler, Cooper Kupp and Justin Jefferson are the only players in Hill's stratosphere from a fantasy perspective.

Jaylen Waddle

If you're going to sell high on a Dolphins player, Waddle's the guy. He's wildly talented and is a clear every-week start for the rest of the season, but the odds of him finishing as a top-10 option are slim.

The Alabama product is tied for 24th in targets per game, finding himself hanging out with the likes of Christian Kirk and Courtland Sutton. While Waddle is the most talented player in that trio, he's reliant on big plays, and much of his target average is being propped up by the whopping 19 he received in Week 2.

Waddle has double the amount of games with five or fewer targets (four) than games he's been targeted 10-plus times (two). He's the type of high-variance player who could win you a week but also put up a dud in the playoffs.

Sell him now for a true WR1 on a prolific offense if possible.

Buffalo Bills star quarterback Josh Allen's status for Sunday's game against the Minnesota Vikings is uncertain because of an injury to his throwing elbow.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday that Allen has a sprained UCL in his right elbow, and while it is not considered a "major" injury, it is "up in the air" if he will play Sunday:

Rapoport added that the belief is that Allen will be able to manage the injury and play through it even if he isn't available against the Vikings.

On Wednesday, Bills head coach Sean McDermott told reporters Allen would not practice but also said the team will "see where it goes" with the quarterback and that the team would use "common sense" regarding his status.

Any injury to Allen is a huge concern for the Bills, especially if lingers. He is putting together a potentially MVP-worthy campaign, throwing for 2,403 yards, 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions while completing 64.1 percent of his passes.

The 26-year-old has also rushed for 392 yards and four scores, helping lead the Bills to a 6-2 record.

Allen's elbow injury occurred last week when he was hit in the throwing arm by New York Jets defensive lineman Bryce Huff during a strip-sack, the decisive play for the Jets in a 20-17 upset.

"There's some slight pain," he told reporters after the contest. "But we'll get through it."

McDermott added at the time:

"We all know Josh and how competitive he is, and he loves to compete, loves to be out there with his teammates. So, you know, I would never count him out. That's the one thing I do know about him is that right now, the medical piece, we're still evaluating it. I'll know more, again for myself even, tomorrow morning a little bit more."

That same injury caused him to miss four games during his rookie season. But he hadn't missed a game since in an impressive run of durability for a player who doesn't shy from contact once he tucks the ball and runs.

If Allen can't play Sunday, Case Keenum will start against one of his former teams.

The 34-year-old journeyman has only made 10 starts in the past four seasons and was last a regular starter for the Denver Broncos in 2018, throwing for 3,890 yards, 18 touchdowns and 15 interceptions that year.

In 2017, Keenum went 11-3 as a starter with the Vikings and led them to the NFC Championship Game.

NFL executives predicted the Buffalo Bills against the San Francisco 49ers as the most likely Super Bowl matchup in a midseason poll.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported Tuesday there was also support for the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC and the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC, but the Bills and Niners garnered the most votes from their respective conferences.

"Battle-tested and explosive playmaking on both sides of the ball," an NFL personnel director said about San Francisco.

An AFC exec added about Buffalo: "This feels like their time."

The Bills were on cruise control for much of the first two months, going 6-1 with several blowout victories, but their outlook is less certain after Sunday's loss to the New York Jets that saw quarterback Josh Allen suffer an elbow injury.

If Allen, one of the MVP front-runners, misses an extended period of time, Buffalo is likely to lose its status as the Super Bowl favorite.

ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported Monday the quarterback is being evaluated for injuries to his ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) and the related nerves.

"We're just going through it, still evaluating it, and we'll see where it goes," Bills head coach Sean McDermott said. "I'll know more in the next 24 hours and then probably be able to check in with [the media] back on Wednesday."

At full strength, the Bills have a strong case as the NFL's most complete team, ranking first in total offense (416.4 yards per game) and fourth in total defense (299.6 yards allowed per game).

Meanwhile, the 49ers are still seeking top form after a 4-4 start, but the addition of running back Christian McCaffrey from the Carolina Panthers ahead of the trade deadline was the type of splash a team makes when it's seriously chasing a title.

The combination of McCaffrey and wide receiver Deebo Samuel is a nightmare for opposing defenses, and the Niners also feature wideout Brandon Aiyuk and tight end George Kittle among the targets at the disposal of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.

San Francisco doesn't have a ton of margin for error. It currently sits seventh in the NFC, which is the final wild-card slot, and it has the 11th-toughest remaining schedule in the league, according to ESPN's Football Power Index.

In terms of upside, however, there aren't many teams with more potential heading into the second half of the regular season than the Niners.

Both Buffalo and San Francisco are next in action Sunday, when the Bills host the Minnesota Vikings (7-1) and the 49ers take on the Los Angeles Chargers (5-3).