Is Keon Coleman, Curtis Samuel, or Khalil Shakir The Fantasy Football WR1 For The Bills?

July 31, 2024

Who will be the fantasy football WR1 for the Buffalo Bills in 2024? Joey Pollizze takes a look at the credentials of each candidate to see who is likely the lead wide receiver.

The Buffalo Bills wide receiver group will surely look different in 2024. Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis are both gone after leading that position group for Buffalo over the past few years. As a result, the team will search for some new wide receivers to step up on offense this season. 

The Bills drafted Keon Coleman in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft and signed Curtis Samuel in free agency. Coleman, Samuel, and Khalil Shakir -- who was with the team last year -- figure to be the team's top-3 wideouts this season. 

But will Coleman, Samuel, or Shakir be the fantasy football WR1 for the Bills? Let's dive in and find out. 

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Who is the Buffalo Bills' WR1?

It's hard to pinpoint who the Bills' WR1 will be at this point in the offseason. Samuel is the likeliest choice entering the season, given his experience and familiarity with offensive coordinator Joe Brady. The speedy wideout had his best season with Brady calling plays in 2020 with the Panthers. He totaled 77 catches for 851 yards and three touchdowns while also rushing for 200 yards and two touchdowns. 

With the way Samuel has also looked in training camp so far, there's a strong chance he is the team's WR1 to begin the year. However, Coleman is also making a case in camp to earn that role. The rookie has made several nice grabs already and is forming a strong connection with quarterback Josh Allen. 

17 ➡️ 0. #BillsCamp@JoshAllenQB | @KeonColeman6 | @Ticketmaster pic.twitter.com/RHyGq8qnp8

— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) July 30, 2024

Then, there's Shakir. He has already established a nice connection with Allen after spending the past two seasons in Buffalo. Last year, he caught 39 passes for 611 yards and two touchdowns. As a result, we could see all three wide receivers rotate in that WR1 role throughout the year. Samuel is likely the favorite to earn that job out of training camp, but Coleman and Shakir could overtake him at any point. 

Who Should I Draft in Fantasy Football?

No one knows how the targets in Buffalo's offense will be distributed in 2024. But someone will emerge as Allen's favorite target this season. That's why Samuel, Coleman, and Shakir are all sneaky options in drafts this year. They are all going outside the top 98 on Sleeper and are worth taking at their respective ADP.

Samuel, though, might be the best pick of all three. He has experience with Brady's play-calling and finished as the WR25 in PPR formats during that 2020 season. With him getting work at both wide receiver and running back in training camp, he could turn out to be the best fantasy value pick in drafts at his 119.2 ADP. 

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