RADIO
New faces: that is the phrase that can be used to describe the Buffalo Bills roster coming into the 2017 NFL season. After finishing 7-9 in the brutal AFC East, the Bills look as if they are trying to rebuild their team to contend for the division title. However, that will not happen this season, as they have traded several key players on both sides of the ball. With a new head coach, it assumed that 2017 may not be the brightest season for the franchise.
Last year, the Bills had some decent fantasy options, the most notable being All-Pro running back LeSean McCoy. Apart from McCoy, quarterback Tyrod Taylor, despite getting no respect from the Bills front office, still put together a very solid season for fantasy owners.
Going forward into 2017, it is hard to get excited for any Bills player at their current value. However, there are still some interesting options that are worth exploring.
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Buffalo Bills 2017 Outlook
Offseason Moves
Notable Acquisitions: FB Mike Tolbert, S Micah Hyde, FB Patrick DiMarco, K Steven Hauschka, WR Andre Holmes, CB E.J. Gaines, WR Jordan Matthews, CB Tre’Davious White, WR Zay Jones
Notable Losses: CB Stephon Gilmore, WR Robert Woods, WR Marquise Goodwin, RB Mike Gillislee, QB Cardale Jones, WR Sammy Watkins, CB Ronald Darby, LB Reggie Ragland
Quarterback
After finishing as a QB1 in fantasy in 2017, Taylor will hope to remain in firm control of the starting job for the Bills as they try to rebuild their team for the future. Taylor had the most rushing yards and touchdowns of any quarterback in the league, making him a true dual-threat option who gave fantasy owners a high floor to work with.
For 2017, it is unrealistic to assume that Taylor will continue with the same levels of production given the depletion of the Bills receiver core as well as their defense. However, he should be a very solid streaming option as the Bills are not completely devoid of talent on his side of the ball and will look to feature the running game more heavily, opening up lanes for Tyrod to exploit through the ground or the air.
Running Back
Perhaps one of the few bright spots on the Bills this year is running back LeSean McCoy. Despite talks that McCoy would be traded in the offseason, he has remained with the team and looks to assume the feature back role with no real backup behind him. McCoy finished last season with over 1,600 yards from scrimmage as well as fourteen touchdowns, making him one of the elite fantasy backs in the 2016 season. It is expected that there will be some regression from the 29 year old this season, but fantasy owners should not be too scared of his situation as McCoy has shown he can produce for his team in most situations.
Behind McCoy is fullback-hybrid Mike Tolbert and second year pro Jonathan Williams. While both will look to spell McCoy when he goes down and have value as backups on a run-centered offense, McCoy should see the vast majority of offensive snaps if he stays healthy, diminishing the value of the pair of backs behind him.
Wide Receiver
Perhaps the position that the Bills lost the most at was wide receiver. After declining Sammy Watkins’s fifth-year option, the Bills clearly wanted to move on from the fourth overall pick in 2014. Watkins was traded in the middle of training camp to the Los Angeles Rams, leaving a void for the team at wide receiver. The Bills also traded for slot receiver Jordan Matthews; after a down year in 2016, Matthews looks to regain his lost form as the primary option for his quarterback and could be an overlooked player with the opportunity to perform. This is, however, only if he is targeted enough - the Bills have been one of the lowest passing offenses in recent years, making any receiver that they have a risky option at best.
Another wide receiver who could make a name for himself this season is the rookie second round pick Zay Jones. Jones posted an NCAA record for catches in a season at East Carolina, and will look to be involved immediately in the Bills offense as a starting receiver. Jones is another option to lead this receiving core and can act as a safety valve for Tyrod Taylor with his sure-fire hands.
Tight End
Charles Clay has never been a fantasy stud, and last season with the Bills was no different. He should be in line for an uptick in targets given the Bills receiving situation, but with Sammy Watkins injured last year Clay still failed to step up and fill the void. Consider Clay a high-risk streamer with a low floor in an offense that does not pass the ball often.
Kicker
After cutting kicker Dan Carpenter, the Bills have signed former Seahawks kicker Steven Hauschka to the team. Hauschka has been a reliable option for fantasy owners and should be considered a playable option at the position.
Defense/Special Teams
Last year the Bills featured a lower-half fantasy unit and this year figures to have much of the same output. After losing their top two cornerbacks and with the fear of being in a lot of negative game scripts, the Bills D/ST should be relegated to the waiver wire for the majority of the season, except for a few key matchups.
