Buffalo Bills

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Curtis Samuel (toe) was removed from the Week 1 injury report on Friday and will be active on Sunday in Week 1 against the Arizona Cardinals. Samuel has been dealing with turf toe but was set for a full practice session earlier this week on Wednesday, so his status for the regular-season opener was never really in much doubt. There is plenty of opportunity for the 28-year-old in Buffalo's receiving corps this year after Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis departed in the offseason, but tight end Dalton Kincaid and receiver Khalil Shakir are expected to be quarterback Josh Allen's top targets in the passing game. It still leaves opportunity for Samuel, but he'll be competing with impressive rookie Keon Coleman for WR3 duties early on. Entering Week 1 on Sunday against Arizona, Samuel is best left on benches as a WR5/flex play.

The Buffalo Bills completely revamped their wide receiver room over the offseason, with one of the notable additions being Curtis Samuel. The do-it-all wideout has been good for at least 50 receptions in every season since 2019 (excluding a season-ending injury early in 2021) and a handful of carries out of the backfield. A turf toe injury has kept Samuel from fully participating in training camp and building a rapport with new quarterback Josh Allen. He's practicing in full leading up to the matchup against the Arizona Cardinals. Still, there's too much uncertainty in target distribution in upstate New York. Dalton Kincaid, Khalil Shakir, Keon Coleman, and Samuel are all competing to be the top dog in Buffalo. Samuel is worth a bench spot in fantasy football while we wait to see who Allen favors to target, but shouldn't be started in the meantime.

The one returning Buffalo Bill at the position, Khalil Shakir could become the top wide receiver option for Josh Allen in 2024. While he may be the betting favorite, the target distribution in Buffalo is one of the biggest question marks for fantasy football. Shakir, Curtis Samuel, and rookie Keon Coleman were all selected late in fantasy football drafts. Shakir will operate primarily out of the slot, giving him a safe PPR floor against a shaky Arizona defense. It's hard to project Shakir or any other wideouts booming in the team's season opener. Allen will spread the ball around while they establish a hierarchy. Because of the uncertainty, Shakir can be left on benches as a WR4 in most league formats and sizes. But if there's one Buffalo wide receiver to start in Week 1, it's Shakir.

How will the target share be spread out in Buffalo? That's the question many fantasy managers are asking as we approach the Bills' season opener. Tight end Dalton Kincaid is projected to lead the team, with receivers Keon Coleman, Khalil Shakir, and Curtis Samuel not far behind. Coleman, a second-round pick, is unlike the other two receivers. He's a big body who can develop into a deep threat. He struggles with separation, an issue that could impact him early, even against a weak Arizona secondary. The key is whether Josh Allen and the rookie have developed enough chemistry and timing to get the football where Coleman can make a play. It wouldn't be a big surprise to see Coleman break off a long reception in his NFL debut, but it's a risky gamble. It's safer for fantasy managers to watch how the target and snap shares shake out before inserting Coleman into starting lineups.

With 241 targets vacated between the now-departed Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis, tight end Dalton Kincaid takes the title of Buffalo's top receiver. When Kincaid was given the starting job midway through last season, he secured at least five receptions in every matchup from Weeks 7 through 14. He finished second on the team in targets (91). Rookie Keon Coleman, Khalil Shakir, and Curtis Samuel are his primary target competitors in year two. The sportsbooks are banking on the talented second-year professional improving and adding more offensive responsibility to his plate in 2024. He's the betting favorite to lead the Bills in receptions and yards on Sunday. The breakout candidate was drafted as a TE1 in fantasy football and should be started as such against the Cardinals.