Sanders announced Wednesday that he has retired from professional football.
He made his announcement via the official Twitter account of the Broncos, with whom he won his only Super Bowl ring while enjoying the most productive seasons of his 12-year career. In addition to Denver, the two-time Pro Bowler made stops with Pittsburgh, San Francisco, New Orleans and Buffalo. He finishes his time in the NFL with 704 receptions for 9,245 yards and 52 touchdowns over 172 career regular-season games.
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Bills' Emmanuel Sanders: Disappears from game plan Sunday
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Sanders hauled in his lone target for a 16-yard gain Sunday in the Bills' 42-36 overtime loss to the Chiefs in the divisional round.
Even with quarterback Josh Allen dropping back 39 times on the day in a back-and-forth affair between two potent offenses, Sanders wasn't able to make much of an imprint on the box score. In fact, the 34-year-old was just about phased out of the game plan, as his 27-percent snap share on offense was his lowest mark of the season. The Bills filtered most of Sanders' snaps to Gabriel Davis, who broke through with eight receptions for 201 yards and four touchdowns to dim just about any quiet buzz he might have had as a middle- or late-round sleeper heading into 2022 fantasy drafts. Davis' landmark performance presumably cements him into a regular starting role alongside Stefon Diggs and slot specialist Cole Beasley next season, increasing the likelihood that Sanders will have to fnd work elsewhere in free agency this offseason. The soon-to-be 35-year-old recorded 45 receptions for 678 yards and five touchdowns across his 14 regular-season and two playoff games with Buffalo.
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Bills' Emmanuel Sanders: Scores first playoff TD
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Sanders secured two of three targets for 36 yards and a touchdown during the Bills' 47-17 win over the Patriots in an AFC wild-card matchup Saturday night.
The veteran speedster's 34-yard scoring grab just ahead of the midway point of the third quarter had special significance in addition to helping ensure the Bills didn't suffer a momentum loss in the second half; it also served as his first postseason touchdown in his 14th career playoff game with his fifth different team. Sanders didn't seem to display any limitations from the knee injury that caused him to miss the last two regular-season games, as he sped down the left sideline and gained plenty of separation on his touchdown reception. Sanders' veteran savvy could well play another important role in a divisional-round clash versus either the Chiefs or Bengals next weekend.
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Bills' Emmanuel Sanders: Officially logs full practice
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Sanders (knee) is listed as a full participant on the Bills' injury report Tuesday
Sanders was expected to put in full participation at Tuesday's walkthrough and did just that, setting him up for a return to action Saturday against the Patriots. The veteran wideout missed the last two games of the regular season but figures to be a contributor in the postseason after finishing out the regular season with 42 grabs for 626 yards and four touchdowns over 14 games played.
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Bills' Emmanuel Sanders: In line for full practice
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Coach Sean McDermott said Sanders (knee) is expected to be a full participant at Tuesday's walkthrough, Chris Brown of the Bills' official site reports.
Since injuring his knee Week 14 in Tampa Bay, Sanders played in just one of the Bills' final four games of the campaign (Week 16 at New England). He hasn't even practiced since preparation for that contest, but back-to-back absences to close out the regular season may have been strategic to ensure he's healthy as possible for the playoffs. As it pertains to Tuesday, though, Sanders' activity level won't be confirmed until Buffalo releases its first practice report of the week.
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Bills' Emmanuel Sanders: Inactive Sunday
Rotowire
Sanders (knee) is inactive for Sunday's game against the Jets.
With Sanders, who was also inactive last weekend, still out, look for Gabriel Davis to continue to see added work in Week 18 alongside top wideout Stefon Diggs and slot man Cole Beasley. Sanders, who didn't practice this past week, will look to get a back on the field next week as the Bills begin their preparations for the team's playoff opener.
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Bills' Emmanuel Sanders: Doubtful for Week 18
Rotowire
Sanders (knee) is listed as doubtful for Sunday's game against the Jets after not practicing this week.
With Sanders trending toward inactive status for Sunday's 4:25 p.m. ET contest, look for Gabriel Davis to continue to see added work in Week 18 alongside top wideout Stefon Diggs and slot man Cole Beasley.
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Bills' Emmanuel Sanders: Won't practice Friday
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Coach Sean McDermott said Sanders (knee) won't participate at Friday's practice, Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com reports.
Sanders sat out the Week 17 win over the Falcons due to the knee injury and has been unable to practice this week. The veteran wideout has yet to be officially ruled out but is trending toward another absence for the final game of the regular season.
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Bills' Emmanuel Sanders: Another missed practice
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Sanders (knee) didn't practice Thursday.
With back-to-back absences Wednesday and Thursday, Sanders -- who missed the Bills' Week 17 win over the Falcons -- is looking pretty iffy ahead of Sunday's game against the Jets. If he's unable to return to action this weekend, the Bills' wideout corps once again would be led by Stefon Diggs, Gabriel Davis and Cole Beasley.
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Bills' Emmanuel Sanders: Sits out practice
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Sanders (knee) didn't practice Wednesday.
Sanders missed two of the past three games and now appears uncertain for Sunday's matchup with the Jets. If he's out again, Gabriel Davis likely will occupy a three-down role.
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Bills' Emmanuel Sanders: Day-to-day heading into Week 18
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Bills head coach Sean McDermott labeled Sanders (knee) as day-to-day Monday heading into this weekend's regular-season finale against the Jets, Sal Capaccio of WGR Sports Radio 550 Buffalo reports.
Sanders was sidelined for the second time in three games in the Bills' 29-15 win over the Falcons in Week 17, after he suffered an apparent aggravation of the ankle injury that he initially sustained in a Week 14 loss to Tampa Bay. The wideout opened last week as a limited participant before downgrading to no activity Thursday and Friday, so he may need to get at least two limited sessions in during the upcoming week to have a shot at suiting up against the Jets. Buffalo has already punched its ticket to the postseason, but since a win over the Jets would secure the AFC East title and give the team a home game in the wild-card round, the Bills are incentivized to have Sanders play if he's close to 100 percent.
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Bills' Emmanuel Sanders: Out for Week 17
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Sanders (knee) is inactive for Sunday's game against the Falcons.
Sanders has yet to hit a 100-yard receiving day in his first season as a Bill even though he's a starter, and that will be put on hold for at least one more week. His absence will yield some extra opportunities for Gabriel Davis and Cole Beasley.
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Bills' Emmanuel Sanders: Officially inactive against Falcons
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Sanders (knee) is inactive Week 17 against the Falcons.
Sanders was able to bounce back from a knee injury that cost him Week 15 and even logged 62 offensive snaps against the Patriots in Week 16, but he missed practice both Thursday and Friday of this week. Reports from earlier Sunday morning suggested that he would not be cleared to suit up, and that will be confirmed with the official inactive report. With Sanders sidelined, look for more targets to be headed in the direction of Cole Beasley and Gabriel Davis, who will of course presumably trail top wideout Stefon Diggs in the passing game.
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Bills' Emmanuel Sanders: Not expected to play Sunday
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Sanders (knee) isn't expected to play Sunday against the Falcons, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.
Sanders' status will be officially confirmed upon the posting of the Bills' inactives ahead of Sunday's 1:00 ET kickoff. If he is indeed unavailable, Stefon Diggs, Cole Beasley and Gabriel Davis would be in line to head the team's Week 17 wide receiver corps.
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Bills' Emmanuel Sanders: Receives questionable tag
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Head coach Sean McDermott said Sanders (knee) will be listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Falcons, Maddy Glab of the Bills' official site reports.
Sanders began the week as a limited participant Wednesday before sitting out sessions Thursday and Friday due to the knee issue. The 34-year-old will face more competition for targets if cleared to play versus Atlanta this weekend after Cole Beasley (illness) and Gabriel Davis (illness) were reinstated from the reserve/COVID-19 list this week following one-game absences.
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Bills' Emmanuel Sanders: Logs DNP on Thursday
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Sanders (knee) didn't practice Thursday.
Sanders was listed as a limited participant in Wednesday's walkthrough, so his Thursday 'DNP' makes his status worth monitoring as Sunday's game against the Falcons approaches. Friday's final injury report will reveal whether Sanders heads into the weekend with an injury designation. The Bills' top available wideouts Thursday were Stefon Diggs, Cole Beasley and Gabriel Davis.
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Bills' Emmanuel Sanders: Limited practice Wednesday
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Sanders (knee) was a limited participant at practice Wednesday.
Sanders was also limited last Wednesday before returning to a full practice Thursday and being cleared ahead of the Bills' win over the Patriots. In that contest, Sanders logged 65 of a possible 79 snaps on offense and finished with two receptions for 20 yards on four targets. Though Sanders is expected to be ready to go for Sunday's game against the Falcons, he'll face more competition for targets with fellow wideouts Cole Beasley (illness) and Gabriel Davis (illness) both returning from one-game stints on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
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Bills' Emmanuel Sanders: Cleared for Week 16
Rotowire
Sanders (knee) doesn't have an injury designation for Sunday's game against the Patriots.
Sanders cleared up most of the concern about the health of his knee by turning in a full practice Thursday, and though he dropped down to limited activity Friday, the Bills characterized it as a "vet rest" day. As such, Sanders is poised to return from a one-game absence, and the Bills could need him to play more than 90 percent of the offensive snaps for just the fourth time all season while fellow wideouts Cole Beasley (illness) and Gabriel Davis (illness) are sidelined after landing on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Stefon Diggs will remain the Bills' clear No. 1 receiver, but the absences of Beasley and Davis should open up more target volume for Sanders, Isaiah McKenzie and Jake Kumerow, and potentially tight end Dawson Knox, too.
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Bills' Emmanuel Sanders: Practices fully
Rotowire
Sanders (knee) practiced fully Thursday.
Sanders, who was inactive last weekend, now is poised to rejoin the lineup Sunday against the Patriots, with his looming return arriving at a timely juncture, given that Cole Beasley (reserve/COVID-19 list) won't be available this weekend. In that context, assuming no issues with his knee, Sanders is a candidate to see his share of Week 16 targets alongside top wideout Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis.
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Bills' Emmanuel Sanders: Listed as limited
Rotowire
Sanders (knee) is listed as a limited participant on Wednesday's estimated practice report.
Since the Bills conducted a walk-through session Wednesday, Sanders' limited listing doesn't constitute a return to traditional practice. Still, it might be interpreted as a step in the right direction after Sanders failed to practice all of last week before being ruled out ahead of Sunday's blowout win over the Panthers. Second-year wideout Gabriel Davis took full advantage of his extra playing time in the victory, with a 5-85-2 receiving line on seven targets.
