Bills Central

Ranking the 4 best offensive players Bills will play in 2024 NFL season

We're taking a look at the most talented players the Buffalo Bills' defense will be tasked with stopping in the 2024 NFL season.

McKenna Middlebrook

Detroit Lions offensive tackle Penei Sewell celebrates the 31-23 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Detroit Lions offensive tackle Penei Sewell celebrates the 31-23 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK
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The Buffalo Bills released their schedule for the 2024 season on May 15th, and on paper, they have one of the toughest schedules in the league. The Bills are playing five of the eight division winners from last season, and one of their division rivals, the Miami Dolphins, has a prolific offense.

The Bills are going to be playing plenty of high-level talent throughout the course of the season; we're breaking down the four best players the defense will see this year.

WR Tyreek Hill - Miami Dolphins

Jan 13, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) takes the
Jan 13, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) takes the / Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

Tyreek Hill is one of the best wide receivers in the NFL, and the Bills have the ‘privilege’ of playing him twice per season. Hill has faced Buffalo in the regular season seven times as both a Chief and a Dolphin, catching 38 passes for 266 yards and two touchdowns. During Hill’s time with the Chiefs, he was seen as a vertical threat and became one of the favorite targets for quarterback Patrick Mahomes. 

Now in Miami, Hill has been used as an all-around playmaker. Hill and fellow speedy wideout Jaylen Waddle are the perfect pair for head coach Mike McDaniel’s offense. Since arriving in Miami in the 2022 offseason, Hill has tallied over 1,700 yards in both seasons, reeling in 20 touchdowns.

Surprisingly enough, in his four divisional matchups against the Bills, he’s amassed just 242 yards and caught two scores. The Bills defense has done a great job against Hill and the rest of Miami’s offense since his arrival in South Beach; that said, his speed makes him one of the most dynamic players in football, one that Buffalo will have to account for especially considering its revamped secondary.

Related: Hall of Fame GM thinks this Bills rookie 'fits a perfect need'

QB Patrick Mahomes - Kansas City Chiefs 

Feb 14, 2024; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) celebrates
Feb 14, 2024; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) celebrates / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Really… this guy, again? 

Unfortunately for the Buffalo faithful, the Bills and the Chiefs will play each other in the regular season for the fifth consecutive year. Kansas City signal-caller Patrick Mahomes is the best quarterback in the league, that can’t be denied or argued at this point in his career. His stats and accolades speak for themself; in his seven-year career, he’s won three Super Bowls, two MVPs, and became the third player in NFL history to throw for 5,000 yards in multiple seasons. 

And the Bills know how painful Mahomes' greatness can be, especially in the playoffs. Mahomes and the Chiefs have eliminated the Bills in three of the last four seasons, including the 2023 campaign. Whenever the Bills and Kansas City face off it's usually an instant classic full of drama, twists, and turns. We're in for another great matchup in Buffalo in Week 11.

Related: Bills projected to miss playoffs in egregious NFL record predictions


RT Penei Sewell - Detroit Lions 

Detroit Lions offensive tackle Penei Sewell salutes fans during warms up before the NFC championship
Detroit Lions offensive tackle Penei Sewell salutes fans during warms up before the NFC championship / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

Let’s talk about the big boys, shall we? The oft-unsung heroes of an NFL offense, a great offensive lineman can set the tone for a franchise. There isn’t a better example of this than Detroit Lions right tackle Penei Sewell.

Sewell has been viewed among the premier tackles in the league since flipping back to the right side midway through his rookie campaign; in his short three-year career, he’s been selected to two Pro Bowls, even earning first-team All-Pro honors in 2023.

He earned that All-Pro nod by leading all tackles in snaps last season and allowing just one sack, only being penalized seven times along the way, according to PFF. The Lions have a great offense full of talented players at the skill positions, such as Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jahmyr Gibbs, and now they employ one of the league's highest-paid quarterbacks in Jared Goff. Their offense is explosive; none of that would be possible without Sewell and the rest of the big boys up front.

Related: ESPN questions Josh Allen's status as an 'elite quarterback' without Stefon Diggs

TE George Kittle - San Francisco 49ers 

Feb 11, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (85) makes a catch
Feb 11, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (85) makes a catch / Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

George Kittle has long been viewed as one of the best tight ends in professional football, and though some may question his prowess as he matures, he's still objectively among the best in the league at his position. Kittle is the perfect modern-era NFL tight end; he has size, athleticism, and versatility. He can be lined up as a traditional tight end, in the slot, and even out wide or in the backfield on occasion. Kittle is also a matchup nightmare; he’s still quicker and stronger than most linebackers in the league, and at 6-foot-5, he's much larger than most cornerbacks. This isn't even to mention his tenacity as a blocker.

He was a key cog for the Super Bowl runners-up last season, catching 65 passes for 1,020 yards, good for 15.7 yards per catch. Kittle is also paired with an offensive genius in head coach Kyle Shanahan, who finds ways to get Kittle open in the field against smaller or slower defenders. 

Honorable mentions: 

The Buffalo Bills also play the reigning NFL MVP in quarterback Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens and the exceptional two-headed dragon of the Los Angeles Rams in Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp. The upstart Houston Texans of CJ Stroud, Nico Collins, Tank Dell, and Stefon Diggs are all worthy mentions, as well.

We could also mention running backs like Breece Hall of the New York Jets, Kenneth Walker III of the Seattle Seahawks, and Travis Etienne of the Jacksonville Jaguars. 

What we’re trying to say is that the Bills have a hellish schedule, but it should lead to plenty of interesting battles throughout the course of next season. 

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McKenna Middlebrook
MCKENNA MIDDLEBROOK

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