2024 Buffalo Bills Fantasy Preview
2024 Buffalo Bills Fantasy Preview The Bills still have one of the top QBs in the NFL, Josh Allen. However, this offense will look much different without Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis. Allen was the top quarterback in fantasy football last year, so expectations remain high despite the wholesale changes in the passing attack. Will free-agent acquisitions Curtis Samuel and Mack Hollins, along with second-round draft pick Keon Coleman be enough to give the Bills the same firepower in the passing game this year? Time will tell. Buffalo did hang on to Khalil Shakir and spoke glowingly about his potential and new role. Plus, the franchise signed Chase Claypool to a one-year deal, which should help the receiver room. Buffalo has two very talented tight ends, Dalton Kincaid and Dawson Knox. Knox opened 2023 as the starter but a wrist injury opened the door for Kincaid to become a pivotal piece of the offense. Kincaid ended the season as the TE11 after tallying 73 receptions (80.2% catch rate) for 673 yards and two TDs. Absent Diggs and Davis, Kincaid could be Josh Allen’s go-to option in 2024. Despite the loss of two critical weapons, many pundits still think the Bills have a shot at a Super Bowl appearance in 2024 under Sean McDermott. “Look around the league,” said Rich Gannon. “They have a top-five situation. They have an outstanding quarterback and a terrific football coach. It’s rare to have both in the same city.” Fortunately for Buffalo, Josh Allen isn’t the only one who balled out last year. RB James Cook eclipsed 1,100 rushing yards and averaged 4.7 yards per tote. He totaled 1,567 scrimmage yards but only found the end zone as a runner twice. However, he made up for that in the passing game. The youngster hauled in 44-of-54 targets for 445 receiving yards and an additional four touchdowns. Although the Bills drafted RB Ray Davis out of Kentucky with their fourth-round selection, Cook doesn’t have a lot of competition in the backfield. Cook will likely see 250+ touches in 2024 as the Bills will rely more on the running game. However, Josh Allen could easily vulture some touchdowns near the goal line. Still, Cook should wrack up a ton of yardage and it’s fair to expect positive regression to the mean in terms of touchdown output. Outside of Allen, Cook is the team’s most intriguing player from a fantasy perspective. Quarterback QB JOSH ALLEN – STUD (LOW RISK) Although he failed to throw for 30 touchdowns for the first time in four years, Josh Allen’s career-best 15 rushing scores helped lead him to another overall QB1 finish. Adversity is at hand in 2024, with Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis gone. Second-round rookie WR Keon Coleman joins Curtis Samuel and standout TE Dalton Kincaid in a new-look offense, Meanwhile, the Bills fortified what was already a strength by selecting three offensive linemen in this year’s draft. That hints at a more run-based approach. That would suit Allen fine. Since entering the league he’s averaged 601 yards and 8.8 scores on the ground each season. ADVICE: QB1 In all formats Running Backs RB JAMES COOK – SOLID/SAFE PICK Cook saw a big boost in touches and playing time after the Bills brought in Joe Brady to run the offense. From Week 10 on, Cook averaged 15.5 fantasy points per game, including the playoffs. He really shined as a receiver, ranking eighth overall with 445 receiving yards and four scores. However, Cook had a whopping seven dropped passes and four fumbles and he has only rushed for two touchdowns in each of his two seasons. Additionally, the Bills invested a fourth-round pick Kentucky RB Ray Davis, who catches the ball well and can contribute in short yardage. ADVICE: Still on the RB1 radar but with some risk RB RAY DAVIS – FANTASY HANDCUFF ADVICE: Davis has the size to factor in on early downs and in short yardage right away. Buffalo had 21 RB carries inside the 5-yard line last season and James Cook only commanded five of those. Excellent late-round sleeper with RB2 value if Cook misses time. Wide Receivers WR CURTIS SAMUEL – BYE WEEK FILL-IN Curtis Samuel has been remarkably consistent, posting WR44 and WR48 overall numbers in his final two seasons in Washington. Samuel ran the 12th-highest slot rate (68.7%) last season but with Khalil Shakir expected to take the majority of inside reps, Samuel will be thrust into perimeter duties. That’s a questionable role for a player who ranked 93rd in ADOT and 91st in yards per catch. The upgrade at quarterback potentially helps, but Samuel’s fantasy prospects would improve if he were utilized closer to the line of scrimmage. It remains to be seen how the Bills will employ their new addition. ADVICE: Middling WR4 with some modes value if he becomes Buffalo’s slot receiver WR KHALIL SHAKIR – SLEEPER (UNDERVALUED) Khalil Shakir made big strides in his second season, with a pair of 100-yard games. Shakir took on a larger role in the final month of the season, averaging 12.5 fantasy points per game in Buffalo’s final five contests (including playoffs). Josh Allen showed a real connection with his young receiver, boasting a league-best 95.6% catchable target rate and 133.6 QB Rating when targeting Shakir. With Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis gone, Shakir has a clear path to slot duties and a big boost in opportunities in his pivotal third season. Shakir is a popular late-round sleeper with WR3 upside. ADVICE: Shakir is one of the top late-round sleepers to target in 2024 fantasy drafts. WR KEON COLEMAN – SUPER SLEEPER (HIGH RISK/POTENTIAL) Buffalo’s staff was enamored with Keon Coleman throughout the draft process and got their man the opening pick of Round 2. Coleman (6-3, 213) has excellent size, slot/perimeter versatility, and is an outstanding athlete who has the frame to be a potent red-zone weapon. And the Bills are counting on Coleman to be a significant part of their offense right away. After trading away Stefon
2023 Buffalo Bills Outlook
2023 Buffalo Bills Outlook The 2023 NFL season is right around the corner and that means fantasy football drafts are underway. Before you assemble your championship dynasty, redraft, or high-stakes squad, FullTime Fantasy members will have an in-depth, player-by-player preview
2023 Buffalo Bills Outlook
The 2023 NFL season is right around the corner and that means fantasy football drafts are underway. Before you assemble your championship dynasty, redraft, or high-stakes squad, FullTime Fantasy members will have an in-depth, player-by-player preview of all 32 teams from football legend Shawn Childs.
Up next in our extensive NFL and fantasy football preview series is Shawn’s deep dive into the 2023 Buffalo Bills Outlook.
— Quarterback —
Josh Allen
Over the past three seasons, Allen has been the best fantasy quarterback in the league. Allen has produced 15,180 combined yards with 129 touchdowns. On the negative side, his interceptions have risen each year in the NFL (5, 7, 8, 10, and 12). He gains a massive edge as a runner, highlighted by his last two seasons (122/763/6 and 124/762/7). Since arriving in the NFL, Allen has had 38 rushing scores in 77 games.
After a fast start over his first six games (33.12 FPPG in four-point passing TD leagues) in 2022, he scored more than 30.00 fantasy points in only two other contests (33.45 and 39.90) over his final 12 starts of the year. In Week 9, the Jets held him to 205 passing yards with no TDs via the air. Allen also exited that game with an injured right elbow. Allen played through the issue with his regression shown in his passing yards (249.6 yards) and passing touchdowns (1.9) per game over his final 10 starts.
Buffalo still needs to develop their secondary receiving options behind Stefon Diggs (108/1,429/11 on 154 targets). This is something Allen needs to reach a higher ceiling in passing production. The addition of TE Dalton Kincaid should be a big win for the Bills’ passing game. Gabe Davis (48/836/7) must improve his catch rate (51.6 – 54.1 in his career). Also, Davis needs to eliminate drops (16 over the past two seasons) to reach a competitive WR2 status.
Fantasy Outlook: In the early draft season in the high-stakes market, Allen ranks second behind Patrick Mahomes at quarterback. Despite the appearance of greatness, his yards per pass attempt (7.4 over the past three seasons) have yet to reach an elite area. He gains plusses for his ability to run and score on the ground, along with having an elite WR1. This combination puts Allen in an elite fantasy area while potentially having another gear if the Bills’ young tight end hits the ground running and their WR2 and WR3 increase their production. With a floor of 5,000 combined yards and 40 touchdowns, he projections to be another edge in 2023. Next step: 5,400 yards and 45 scores.
Other Options: Kyle Allen, Matt Barkley
— Running Backs —
The Bills running backs finished with their most production since Josh Allen’s arrival. They set three-year highs in rushing yards (1,470), yards per rush (4.9), catches (79), split percentage (21.9), receiving yards (609), yards per catch (7.7), and targets (113) while also playing one fewer game than 2021. If Josh Allen can continue incorporating his backs in the passing game, it will allow him to extend more drives and increase his chances of producing more yards and touchdowns.
James Cook
Cook saw minimal playing time over his first three seasons in college (1,221 combined yards with seven touchdowns and 40 catches). In 2021, Georgia gave him 140 touches, leading to 1,012 combined yards with 11 scores and 27 catches. He averaged 6.5 yards per carry and 10.9 yards per catch in college.
Cook is the younger brother of Dalvin Cook but has a sleeker build (5’11” and 199 lbs.). He brings explosive speed and upside in the passing game. His challenge to get on the field on passing downs comes from his questionable value in pass protection.
In his rookie season, Cook gained 687 combined yards with three touchdowns and 21 catches on 110 touches. He finished 44th in running back scoring (106.70) in PPR formats, averaging 0.97 fantasy points per touch. His only playable fantasy games came in Week 13 (105 combined yards with six catches on 20 chances) and Week 16 (11/99/1 and one catch for nine yards). Buffalo had Cook on the field for 25.6% of their snaps last season.
Fantasy Outlook: I love the explosiveness and upside of Cook in the Bills’ offense. But his scoring output will be limited until he works his way into more touches. If healthy, Damien Harris should see the bulk of carries on early downs and at the goal line. Harris also offers closing value in the fourth quarter in tight games. Cook must hold off Nyheim Hines in the passing game to secure a 50-catch opportunity.
I expect Buffalo to get Cook between eight and 10 touches per game in 2023. That puts him on a path to gain 1,000 combined yards with 40+ catches and between five and seven TDs. His ADP (89) since April 1st in the Fantasy Football World Championship ranks him as the 29th running back selected. For reference, that running ranking scored 9.49 FPPG in PPR leagues in 2022. I expect him to outperform his current draft value.
Damien Harris
After an excellent season in 2021 (1,061 combined yards with 15 touchdowns and 18 catches), Harris lost his way and opportunity last year after a Week 5 hamstring against the Lions. His season started with 53 rushes for 246 yards, three touchdowns, and seven catches for 29 yards (52.5 fantasy points in PPR leagues). Harris only touched the ball four times vs. Detroit. This was followed by minimal chances (49/205 and nine catches for 67 yards) over the next 12 matchups. Over this span, he missed six games due to hamstring, illness, and thigh issues.
With New England, Harris ran the ball more than 65% of the time inside, gaining over 2.5 yards per rush after contact. When at his best in 2021, he gained more than 100 yards in five games (23/100, 18/101/1, 14/106/2, 10/111/1, and 18/103/3), with two coming against the Bills and four at home. On the downside, Harris finished with 40 rushing yards or fewer in six starts. He only had 40 catches for 281 yards and one score in his 36 career games.
Fantasy Outlook: Over the past two seasons…
WHAT CAN WE EXPECT OUT OF THE BILLS IN 2023?
To finish reading Shawn’s in-depth 2023 team outlook, with in-depth offseason reports, projections, and fantasy outlooks for all players
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