Buffalo Bills DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir (lower body) returned to practice Wednesday after missing time due to a lower body injury. Shakir initially suffered the injury during minicamp. His recovery is crucial as he aims to secure a more prominent role in Buffalo's passing game, especially following the offseason departures of Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis. Shakir stands out as the only returning wide receiver who has caught a pass from quarterback Josh Allen in a game, showcasing his potential to become a key target. Last season, he impressed with 39 receptions for 611 yards and two touchdowns over 17 games. He is competing with rookie Keon Coleman, tight end Dalton Kincaid, and veteran Curtis Samuel for targets in Buffalo's passing game. With minimal competition for targets and established chemistry with Allen, Shakir presents significant value as a late-round pick in fantasy drafts, offering upside for those looking to round out their roster.

The Cleveland Browns and star wide receiver Amari Cooper have agreed to a restructured one-year contract, guaranteeing his $20 million salary and adding an additional $5 million. Cooper will still be entering the final year of his deal with the Browns, but the important takeaway for fantasy managers is that he's reported to the team for the start of training camp on Tuesday after skipping out on mandatory minicamp. The 30-year-old veteran wideout earned his fifth Pro Bowl selection last season after recording a career-high 1,250 receiving yards with 72 catches (128 targets) and five touchdowns through 15 outings. As the clear-cut centerpiece of Cleveland's passing game, Cooper remains safe to draft in fantasy leagues as a WR2 this summer after finishing third at the position in yards per catch (17.4).

Wide receiver KJ Hamler (heart), the former second-round pick of the Denver Broncos in 2020, signed a Reserve/Futures deal with the Buffalo Bills earlier this year and is looking to make a comeback in 2024 after already facing plenty of adversity in the NFL. Hamler struggled with a hamstring injury in his rookie year and tore his ACL in 2021 before dealing with another hamstring issue in 2022 and a partially torn pectoral muscle last year. In addition to all those injuries, he felt severe heart pain last summer and was diagnosed with pericarditis, an inflammation of the tissue that surrounds the heart. The 25-year-old signed with the Colts' practice squad in late September but was never elevated to the active roster. The speedy downfield threat is facing an uphill battle to make Buffalo's roster out of training camp this summer, even with Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis no longer around.

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen is widely regarded as one of the best players in the NFL, and he is the current face of the Bills organization. Heading into 2024, he'll be counted on more as a leader following the departures of Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis, Micah Hyde, Jordan Poyer, and Tre'Davious White, among others. Left tackle Dion Dawkins said he is taking that next step. "Josh is one of those guys that will do what it takes at that moment," Dawkins said. "He's definitely a barker when that time comes. I've actually seen the bark a lot more this OTAs where he's been very, very verbal, because our team is different. It's different. We've got some young dudes that, when they come in, they see a little bit of success, and they can change, so Josh is doing exactly what he should." Allen, who has finished as the overall fantasy QB1 in three of the last four seasons, could struggle early in the season while he builds chemistry with his new supporting cast, but his rushing upside insulates his value as a high-end QB1 again in 2024.

Buffalo Bills rookie wide receiver Keon Coleman plans to just "be himself" amid a massive shakeup in the Buffalo pass catching room. This offseason saw the departure of Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis, which has left the Buffalo wide receiver depth chart wide open. The Bills selected Coleman in the first pick in the second round and already have high expectations for him to fill the void that was left in the offseason. The Florida State product said, "All I gotta do is come in, be myself, be who I'm supposed to be ... Because I'm not Gabe, I'm not Stef, I'm just Keon." Over the past few seasons, rookie wide receivers have taken full control over passing offenses like Justin Jefferson, Garrett Wilson, and Amon-Ra St. Brown and Coleman could be next in line. Coleman has high expectations but could be a steal at his current ADP of 122 if he becomes Josh Allen's lead wideout.