RB · BUF · 24 yrs · exp 2 · Howard
Stories linked to this player — newest first.
Several underrated Buffalo Bills players are poised to make an impact at the 2026 training camp, potentially earning larger roles in the upcoming season. Defensive player Solomon, in his third year, could emerge as a pass-rush specialist due to his athleticism and potential fit in the new scheme. Additionally, recently added player Wheeler may also surprise
Ian Wheeler, a former HBCU standout who excelled in the UFL, is looking to earn a spot on the Buffalo Bills roster in 2026
Last season, the Buffalo Bills led the NFL in rushing yards and dynamic running back James Cook was the NFL’s rushing champion after scampering for 1,621 yards on 309 carries, a robust 5.2 yards per run. The Bills have a crowded running back room, led by Cook, Ty Johnson , Ray Davis and practice squad back Frank Gore Jr., but on Thursday, Brandon Beane brought in another option for the Bills’ backfield when he signed United Football League MVP Ian Wheeler. Today’s edition of Buffalo Rumblinks leads off by introducing Wheeler to Bills fans, although some fans will recall Wheeler enjoying a pair of solid preseason performances for the Chicago Bears against Buffalo. Check out the assessments of Wheeler’s skillset and then let us know how you think Wheeler will contribute in the comments section. The Buffalo Bills know a little bit about their latest member of the backfield, as Ian Wheeler made an impression on the team through his performances in both the 2024 and 2025 NFL preseasons. Wheeler, who signed with the Bears as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Howard University in 2024, played two preseason games for the Bears against the Bills. In 2024, he rushed five times for 43 yards with a pair of touchdowns in a 33-6 Bears win at Highmark Stadium. Then, in a 38-0 win in 2025, Wheeler rushed 19 times for 80 yards and a pair of TDs, giving him 24 carries for 123 yards and four TDs against the Bills in two preseason games. Wheeler suffered a torn ACL before roster cuts were made in 2024 and was released by the Bears. He spent time on the New Orleans Saints ’ practice squad before claiming United Bowl MVP honors after rushing for 81 yards and the go-ahead TD as the Louisville Kings won the UFL championship. During the 2026 UFL season, Wheeler amassed 541 rushing yards on 83 carries in 11 games, scoring eight touchdowns. In the playoffs, Wheeler averaged 10 yards per carry, finishing with 170 yards and two TDs on 17 carries. While at Howard, Wheeler totaled 1,154 rushing yards with 14 touchdowns, caught 23 passes for 234 yards, and averaged 25.4 yards per kickoff return on 42 runbacks with three TDs. He will look to make another impression on the Bills’ brass with a strong showing at training camp. Bills sign UFL standout running back Ian Wheeler – Buffalo News (subscription required) 5 things Bills fans need to know about Ian Wheeler, the explosive UFL MVP joining Buffalo’s loaded backfield – newyorkupstate.com Bills sign UFL MVP who put medical school on hold for NFL dream – Democrat & Chronicle Bills sign running back Ian Wheeler – WGR 550 Bills sign RB Ian Wheeler – BuffaloBills.com Bills Create Preseason RB Competition, Bring Spring League Star Back Into NFL – Sports Illustrated Buffalo Bills Bills sign UFL RB Ian Wheeler – NBC Sports Hear from quarterback Josh Allen on what impressed him the most about Buffalo ’s offseason workout program. Plus, how rookie offensive lineman Jude Bowry came to be called “The Bear;” checking in on Buffalo’s roster after the conclusion of mandatory minicamp; identifying the best and worst Bills uniforms in franchise history; and more! Josh Allen feels Bills had good spring – WGR 550 Recapping 2026 OTAs and Mandatory Minicamp – BuffaloBills.com ‘He is such a protector’: Bills rookie Jude Bowry earns his nickname, ‘The Bear’ – Buffalo News (subscription required) Buffalo Bills full updated roster following minicamp moves – Democrat & Chronicle Every NFL team’s best and worst uniform in franchise history – The Athletic (subscription required) AFC East preview: Jets take over from Sabres as most playoff-starved major pro franchise – Buffalo News (subscription required) Bills fans are snapping up Highmark Stadium seats at Wegmans – WGRZ How close have Bills and Rams been the past nine seasons? – Buffalo Rumblings The metric with strong predictive power to pick the Super Bowl winner – Buffalo Rumblings Cole Bishop is the right man at the right time for Jim Leonhard’s defen [... truncated ...]
The Buffalo Bills have signed running back Ian Wheeler, who most recently played in the UFL and won the championship with the Louisville Kings, where he also earned United Bowl MVP honors. Wheeler previously had stints with the Bears and Saints in the NFL
The Buffalo Bills have signed running back Ian Wheeler, who most recently played in the UFL and won a championship with the Louisville Kings. Wheeler, 24, was also the United Bowl MVP after rushing for 541 yards in 11 games in 2026. He has previous NFL experience, having entered the league as an undrafted free agent with the Bears in 2024, but tore his ACL in a preseason game. He also spent time with the Saints in 2025 before his UFL stint
There’s a new member of the Buffalo Bills running back room — Ian Wheeler. Most notably on the field as a professional to date, Wheeler won a United Football League title with the Louisville Kings on June 13 and was named the United Bowl MVP after rushing for 81 yards and a touchdown in the championship game. ESPN’s Adam Schefter was first on the news of Wheeler’s signing with the Bills: Wheeler will turn 25 in September and played his college ball at Howard. He was an undrafted free agent in 2024 and signed with the Bears after the draft but was placed in Injured Reserved in August of that year. He was on the New Orleans Saints practice squad for one week in November last season. Wheeler possesses classic NFL running back serious and legitimate athleticism. Here are all the pertinent figures from his pro day workout before the 2024 NFL Draft: For reference, James Cook ran an official 4.42 at the 2022 NFL Combine with a 33-inch vertical and 10’4” broad jump. In five seasons at Howard, Wheeler only carried the football 177 times. He totaled a massive 1,154 yards on those attempts — 6.5 yards per tote — with 14 rushing touchdowns. Because the UFL season just ended, there are a scattering of UFL-to-NFL signings happening right now. While Wheeler is of course a long-shot to make Buffalo’s roster, he shouldn’t be totally disregarded as simply a camp body. He’s naturally talented and fresh off a 68-carry, 386-yard season in the UFL. And at this stage, the Bills could probably use some deep depth at the running back position
The Louisville Kings have lived up to their name. The first-year UFL franchise has capped the season with a win in the United Bowl. The 27-20 victory came against the D.C. Defenders at their home field in Washington. Louisville trailed 16-7 at the half, before scoring 20 unanswered points. A 60-yard, four-point field goal from D.C. kicker Matt McCrane cut the margin to seven, and the Defenders failed to convert on fourth and five from the Louisville six with less than two minutes to play. The Louisville offense sputtered for much of the game. Quarterback Chandler Rogers finished with 81 passing yards and two interceptions. The Kings had 181 rushing yards, including a 44-yard touchdown from tailback Ian Wheeler, who had spent time in the offseason and preseason with the Bears in 2024 and 2025. Former NFL running back James Robinson, who gained 1,070 yards as an undrafted rookie with the Jaguars in 2020, added 69 yards and a touchdown. The Defenders lost quarterback Jason Bean to a shoulder injury. E.J. Perry nearly led the comeback. Washington outgained Louisville, 319 to 261. D.C. had three turnovers, including a fumble that was returned for a touchdown by Louisville. That gave the Kings their only first-half points. The Kings were led by former NFL quarterback Chris Redman. He made the most of his first year of coaching at any level. The victory capped a three-game sweep of the Defenders by the Kings. Louisville won 30-13 in Week 7 at D.C., and 33-30 in Week 8 at home
You're caught up — end of feed.
Data comes from cached Sleeper and KTC snapshots. Values update when the sync jobs run.
