Underrated Bills WR named a potential breakout candidate

One outlet has named Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir as a breakout candidate for the 2024 NFL season.

Nov 19, 2023; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir (10) runs for a / Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

Though the Buffalo Bills did add external reinforcements to their receiving corps in the 2024 NFL offseason, one could reasonably argue that its additions do little in the way of outshining their subtractions.

The team did sign free agents Curtis Samuel, Mack Hollins, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling and selected Florida State pass-catcher Keon Coleman in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft, but these players will be tasked with replacing the production vacated by Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis, who both departed in the spring after finishing first and second in receiving yards, respectively, for the Bills in each of the past two seasons.

There are justifiable concerns that one could have about Buffalo’s pass-catching unit, but the relative subtly of its moves compared to its subtractions would suggest confidence in the options already on its roster; one such option is third-year pass-catcher Khalil Shakir, who has flashed throughout his two professional seasons to the tune of 49 receptions for 772 yards and three touchdowns.

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His usage increased down the stretch last season after Joe Brady was promoted to interim offensive coordinator in Week 11, becoming a mainstay on 11 personnel sets. He gained the trust of quarterback Josh Allen as the season progressed, this culminating in a breakout Week 18 game in which Shakir caught six passes for 105 yards.

With the interim tag removed from Brady’s title and Shakir’s rapport with Allen established, it looks as though the wideout is set to play a prominent role in the Bills’ revamped receiving corps. This sentiment is echoed by The 33rd Team’s Dan Pizzuta, who recently identified Shakir as a potential breakout candidate in the 2024 NFL season.

"Shakir killed zone coverage (2.54 yards per route run with Brady) and did some of his best work from the slot," Pizzuta wrote. "Since Shakir, Curtis Samuel and Keon Coleman might all be at their best from the slot, Buffalo could have a bit of a logjam inside. We could also include TE Dalton Kincaid there. When lined up outside, Shakir had just one target on 46 routes under Brady. That’s less than ideal if you’re trying to project him as a top option in a passing game, but those snaps were often designed to go somewhere else. 

"Shakir has the traits to win outside; he just wasn’t asked to do so during his two NFL seasons. If he can consistently win there, Shakir could emerge as a high-volume target for a Buffalo offense that desperately needs one."

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Pizzuta mentions Coleman as a potential threat to eat into Shakir’s slot snaps, but it doesn’t look as though this is going to be the case; though some prognosticators suggested that Coleman best projected as a ‘big slot’ receiver at the professional level, general manager Brandon Beane has already suggested that the rookie will play out wide for the team.

That said, Shakir could occasionally flank Coleman out wide throughout the season; he’s primarily been used in the slot, but he did play 184 wide snaps last year, per Pro Football Focus. While he and Samuel could be interchangeable in terms of outside/slot versatility, Samuel seems a bit more slot-exclusive, which would leave Shakir with more outside snaps on his plate.

As Pizzuta alludes to, Shakir could emerge as an uber-productive receiver if he’s able to take advantage of these opportunities, especially when playing with the world-beater that is Josh Allen.