Underrated Bills WR was among NFL's best in this important statistic in 2023 season

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir got open at a near league-high rate in the 2023 NFL season.

Kyle Silagyi | Jun 29, 2024

Jan 22, 2023; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir (10) during warmups before an AFC divisional round game between the Buffalo Bills and the Cincinnati Bengals at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports / Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports

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“GOCTB.”

This acronym, oft-used between Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen and his pass catchers, summarizes a simple ask that the signal-caller has of his offensive weapons: “Get open [and] catch the ball.”

And Buffalo wide receiver Khalil Shakir did just that at a near league-high rate in the 2023 NFL season. Pro Football Focus writer Lauren Gray recently penned an article in which she ranked the wide receivers who finished in the top 10 of the outlet’s “open-target rate” statistic in the 2023 campaign; the stat tracks the percentage of a player’s targets on which they created separation, i.e. were deemed “open.” PFF determined that the receiver was “open” on 53 of his 56 targets last season, his 94.6% open-target rate ranking third in the league. Only Detroit Lions wideout Kalif Raymond and New York Giants pass catcher Wan’Dale Robinson posted higher open-target rates.

“The former fifth-round pick vaulted up the Bills' depth chart in 2023, securing 45 of his 56 targets and generating a team-high 141.5 passer rating when targeted,” Gray wrote. “Shakir gained 746 receiving yards, caught four touchdowns, forced six missed tackles and had 10 gains of 20-plus yards.

“Shakir heads into training camp projected as Buffalo’s No. 1 receiver in an overhauled unit. Of the 11 receivers currently on the roster, only Shakir (393 receiving snaps), Curtis Samuel (402 receiving snaps) and Marquez Valdes-Scantling (569 receiving snaps) saw significant playing time in 2023.”

Jan 21, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir (10) celebrates after catching a touchdown pass against the Kansas City Chiefs during the second half for the 2024 AFC divisional round game at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Shakir’s play was inspired throughout the majority of his sophomore season but took a step forward after Joe Brady took over as offensive coordinator in Week 11; he became a mainstay on 11-personnel sets, catching 20 passes for 363 yards over the final seven games of the campaign. He finished the regular season with 39 receptions for 611 yards, catching another 10 passes for 75 yards and two scores in the playoffs.

As Gray alludes to, Shakir enters the 2024 season with his most advantageous opportunity as a professional; Buffalo moved on from Gabriel Davis and perennial Pro Bowler Stefon Diggs in the offseason, eliminating 241 targets, 152 receptions, and 1,929 yards from their receiving corps. The maneuvers leave Shakir as the only wide receiver on the team’s roster who has caught a regular season pass from Allen; he’ll have to fight for targets with the likes of Samuel, Valdes-Scantling, and rookie Keon Coleman, but given his demonstrated rapport with Allen and comfort in a Brady-helmed scheme, it’s fair to expect a significant jump in production from Shakir.

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