The New York Giants opened the preseason with a 34-25 win at Buffalo, the Bills’ first exhibition of 2025. With Josh Allen watching from the sideline, Buffalo leaned on a quarterback trio—Mitchell Trubisky, Mike White, and Shane Buechele—who split reps, though Trubisky logged the full first half. He connected for an 11-yard TD to Dawson Knox and delivered a 58-yard pass that set up Buffalo’s second-quarter field goal from their new kicker after Bass’s injury.

Buffalo’s signing of Caden Davis a day earlier and a playful post-TD moment from Ray Davis underscored a kickers competition as the Bills seek a stable option early in camp. The teams meet again in Chicago for a joint practice before the second preseason game. For fantasy, the storylines to watch include the backup QB pecking order, Knox as a target in the backup-heavy attack, and the evolving kicking situation in Buffalo.

James Cook warmed up with the Bills but never took a snap in the preseason loss to the Giants, a clear signal that his contract dispute is affecting his availability. Buffalo leaned on Ray Davis and Ty Johnson in the backfield and described the sit-out as a mutual choice tied to the contract situation, with head coach Sean McDermott noting the discussion with Cook was productive but unresolved. Cook’s 2024 resume was strong, tying a team rushing TD record with 16 and generating 18 total TDs, while playing a sizable role (45.2% of offensive snaps). The Bills’ general manager has stressed that deals require two sides, and Buffalo has shown a willingness to move on when needed. For fantasy managers, the holdout injects risk into Cook’s target share entering the season, especially if he remains unsettled as Week 1 approaches. The Bills’ lineup minimalizes Allen’s involvement in the weekend, and the team’s depth behind Cook could become a meaningful factor in early-season projections.

Buffalo’s preseason opener highlighted a dramatic backup-QB stare-down between Mitch Trubisky and Mike White, each leading crisp first- and third-quarter drives and helping the Bills test depth behind Josh Allen. Trubisky flashed efficiency, connecting with Dawson Knox for an 11-yard TD and threading a late-second-quarter 58-yard strike to Tyrell Shavers to set up a field goal. White answered with two TD drives, including a 39-yard connection to KJ Hamler and a late-fourth TD to Darrynton Evans, plus a two-point conversion. James Cook’s absence and the looming 53-man cuts sharpen the back-end questions, while Shenault’s versatility and Shavers’ emergence give Buffalo intriguing six- and potentially kickoff-return options. Ed Oliver, Matt Milano, and Tre’Davious White supplied sturdy defense in limited reps, underscoring how close the competition is and what talent sticks for Week 1. The Giants’ late sequence exposed some Bills’ slip-ups, but the overall takeaway is clear: Buffalo’s backfield, WRs, and special-teams depth will drive fall-cut decisions in a season where every spot matters.

The Giants’ 34-25 victory over Buffalo offered a window into the 2025 storyline: can the offense cohere under three quarterbacks in real-action, and which youngsters might matter in September? Jaxson Dart looked like the most promising “quarterback of the future,” showing poise, anticipation, and a 29-yard strike to Lil’Jordan Humphrey. He finished 12-of-19 for 154 yards and a TD, plus three rushing runs, hinting at a dual-threat path that could fast-track him onto the field sooner than later. Humphrey and Montrell Washington flashed big-play ability on a drive where Washington cappped it with a 28-yard run, while Olszewski punctuated the night with a TD reception. Tommy DeVito closed the win with a TD to seal it, and Jameis Winston contributed in the third, with a drive that featured a 2-point conversion. The offensive line showed rough patches early but settled as Marcus Mbow shined at tackle and Thomas Ezeudu held up; overall, the line held in the second half and Buffalo didn’t sack any Giants quarterback. On defense, New York’s front had early energy, with Robertson-Harris, Burns, and Carter pressuring Trubisky, but Buffalo’s runs still stung once the backups came in. Deep-breath takeaways point to Dart as the most compelling fantasy angle, a potential early look at 2025 depth, while Nabers, Hyatt, and Slayton face roster questions that matter for fantasy rosters and dynasty planning.

Key roster chatter centers on the health and status of core Giants: Andrew Thomas (still recovering from Lisfranc), Evan Neal, and Dexter Lawrence were sidelined, while Darius Slayton and Jalin Hyatt were limited in camp; Nabers’ toe and Hyatt’s trajectory add complexity to the pass-catching corps. The Bills connection—Dion Dawkins, Mitch Trubisky, and Dawson Knox—provided a contrasting baseline, showing what Buffalo expects from a roster that could push for late-season relevance. Overall, the night underscored the Giants’ need for scalable QB development, the grind of offensive-line depth, and several rising pieces ( Humphrey, Washington, and Marcus Mbow) who could influence late-season fantasy value if they carve out roles in 2025.

Buffalo Bills kicker Tyler Bass is sidelined by a pelvic injury, prompting a one-year signing for Caden Davis. In the preseason, Davis lined up as kicker and delivered a clean 33-yard PAT before adding a 24-yard field goal in the late first half, showing he can function as an emergency option in game situations. Ray Davis, the RB2 who doubles as an emergency kicker, also took a kicking turn, underscoring Buffalo’s willingness to experiment with non-traditional roles in the kicking game. The afternoon featured a notable red-zone sequence: a Mitch Trubisky-to-Dawson Knox TD and a 58-yard connection to Tyrell Shavers, with Davis promptly testing the 24-yard boot to keep the Bills within striking distance. Davis’ backstory includes Ole Miss records for 50-plus-yard field goals and a circuit that took him Temple -> Vanderbilt -> Kentucky before a stint with the Jets and an undrafted college career.

NFL narrative lines up with the Bills’ depth chart: occasional non-kick specialists flashing place-kicking ability across the league, as Philly’s Braden Mann swapped roles with Jake Elliott for a PAT in another preseason game, and Ochocinco Johnson’s 2009 quip is recalled as a peculiar footnote. Buffalo’s experiment is a reminder that kick-game depth and situational play-calling can tilt in small samples, creating speculative upside for fantasy managers if Bass remains limited or out longer than anticipated. The Bills’ Week 1 posture leans toward adaptability and a potential surprise contributor emerge from the kicking front, alongside the usual pass-catchers and Trubisky-to Knox chemistry that flashed on Saturday.