2021 Fantasy Preview – Buffalo Bills

Studs

• Josh Allen: When the organization added Diggs to the offense, it seemed to unlock Josh Allen. Before Diggs, he was really lacking a true number 1 target. With the addition, he skyrocketed from a top 10 QB to a solidified top 5 QB only at the age of 25. He provides a great rushing floor, posting consistent numbers on the ground even when he isn’t always on point in the passing game. Look for Allen to continue this dominance for years to come as a massive redraft and dynasty asset.
• Stefon Diggs: Diggs’ career at Minnesota was an up and down one. He looked like a future star at times and then other times the Vikings phased him out of games. Now the bonafide WR1 in the Bills offense, he is force-fed targets and takes advantage of it. He led the league in targets, receptions, and receiving yards. Nothing would indicate that he’ll slow down at all this upcoming year, and he is only 27 for those dynasty managers.

Role Players

• Cole Beasley: It’s up in the air whether or not Cole Beasley will be playing in the NFL in 2021 due to COVID restrictions. If he does return, he is a solid WR2 for the Bills and a consistent WR3 for fantasy owners. While he is now 32 years old, we could see some decline in his production, but he benefits greatly from having a true alpha lined up on the field with him, posting his best career year in 2020.

Keep an eye on

• Gabriel Davis: Davis was a fan favorite last offseason as a sleeper. He produced pretty well for a rookie, making big plays and flashing his potential. It’s been a bit of an up-and-down offseason. At one point it was looking like he’d be in the starting rotation with the departure of John Brown, but then the Bills signed Emmanuel Sanders who is said to take over Brown’s role instead. And now with the news of Beasley potentially not playing, that opens up a starting spot for Gabriel. Even if he doesn’t start the year as a starter, the veterans in front of him are 32 (Beasley) and 34 (Sanders), so there is still hope he can beat them out if the vet’s play has declined. Keep an eye on Davis in redraft and stash him in dynasty.
• Emmanuel Sanders: Sanders had an incredibly consistent stretch of seasons where he was putting up solid WR2 numbers when healthy. But last year for New Orleans, he was not much of a factor. Reports are that he will be taking over John Brown’s role in the Buffalo offense. Although, age is not on his side as he is now 34 and has an 11-year career still going. If he can’t produce, there are quite a few young WRs behind him on the depth chart looking to take his spot. 
• Dawson Knox: Knox was selected in the 3rd round of the 2019 NFL Draft, and has struggled to produce in fantasy or in a real NFL capacity. This will be his first year as the undisputed starter in the offense. Additionally, tight ends generally take longer to get acclimated to the NFL and produce for fantasy managers. This should be the year for a Knox break out if there is ever going to be one as we have plenty of vacated targets from John Brown and potentially Cole Beasley. 
• Zack Moss/Devin Singletary: Either one of these two will be fantasy relevant, or they will both eat into each other’s workload too much for either to be relevant. They were efficient with their touches in the 2020 season and split the carries about 50/50 when playing together even though Singletary generally got the “start”. Monitor this situation as if one does start to pull away, they will be tied to a high octane offense that scores a lot of points. Moss is built a bit more like a prototypical workhorse and has the full offseason to take over the backfield (an opportunity he did not have last season). While Singletary has had the opportunity for the past two years to secure the backfield and has failed to do so. Moss has a slight edge and a bit more potential here.

Dynasty Stashes

• Isaiah Hodgins: Hodgins was an offseason standout in 2019, but had to undergo shoulder surgeries causing him to miss his entire rookie year. This offseason, the same things are being said and it is being reported that he is impressing once again. With aging veterans Cole Beasley and Emmanuel Sanders, Hodgins has a path to playing time. Either by way of retirement (Beasley) or contract ending (Sanders), Hodgins could make an impact on this team. At only 22, Hodgins is a deep dynasty league stash.