Buffalo Bills Game Day Lineup: IT’S ON!

With just one more night until the Buffalo Bills home opener at Highmark Stadium, it’s time to get excited, Bills Mafia.

The roster looks very different from last season, with only two of the previous nine captains currently on the team. Notable departures include Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis, Jordan Poyer, and Tre’ White, but Buffalo was aggressive throughout the offseason and training camp to ensure they got the best replacements.

Here are some things to look out for on Sunday’s 1 p.m. matchup against the Arizona Cardinals.

Mack Hollins
Hollins’ humble aura and genuine personality has made him a favorite in Buffalo already.

“I love Mack. He’s one of the all-time greats, and I’ve only been around him for a few months now. But the energy and juice he has is infectious towards his teammates," Josh Allen said.

The 6-foot-4 receiver was named a starter on the first depth chart of the season, ahead of rookie Keon Coleman.

The “barefoot bandit” has played in 95 NFL games in his career, with 27 starts. His most active season was in 2022 with the Las Vegas Raiders, when he started in 16 of 17 games and had 57 receptions for 690 yards along with four touchdowns.

With Hollins’ averaging around 18 receptions per season, it’ll be fun to see the impact he has on the offense, as well as how long he stays ahead of Coleman.

Keon Coleman
The rookie drafted in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft is a playmaker, and I think almost all of Buffalo (and beyond) is ready to see this athletic freak snag some contested catches.

However, he was listed behind Hollins’ on Tuesday's depth chart. Head coach Sean McDermott is likely trying to make him “earn his spot” and will split time with Hollins’ on Sunday.

Coleman had quite a few impressive aerial grabs in training camp and maintains a “head down” work ethic that shows his determination to make a splash on this offense.

“His football IQ, in my opinion, is off the charts. He understands defenses; he understands leverage when he’s running routes. The catch radius that he has, you can just throw one up and he’s going to find a way to either go get it or break it up,” Allen said, per Democrat and Chronicle.

Damar Hamlin
The Pittsburgh product will be starting his first game since January 2, 2023, when he went into cardiac arrest mid-game versus the Cincinnati Bengals.

Hamlin’s story is highlighted by doubts, from doubts he’d never play football again to doubts he could make the 53-man roster.

Nevertheless, the safety has put in the work to be where he is today and start alongside Taylor Rapp against the Cardinals. McDermott credited his consistency in training and relationship with Rapp as reasons for him to be named a Week 1 starter.

“I reflect back on the whole process and me not knowing if I would even be able to play again,” Hamlin said, per the Associated Press. “Last season was primarily just about healing and making myself do the hard stuff, thrusting myself into things that were uncomfortable, that made me fearful or gave me anxiety. But I was doing the hard stuff last year to make it easier this year.”

Hamlin has played in 34 games with 13 starts for Buffalo, totaling 95 tackles, six tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and four passes defended.

Run game
After firing Ken Dorsey and replacing him with current offensive coordinator Joe Brady, the offense seemed more explosive and ready to attack the ball. Part of that could be due to Brady’s willingness to run the ball more and allowing Allen to run a little more.

The Bills ran 258 run plays and 229 pass plays under Brady, while the offense ran 254 run plays and 350 pass plays with Dorsey in charge.

The increase in run plays could also be a factor in James Cook being named an All-Pro for the first time in his career. Cook will be a staple in the run game once again this season, as his speed and strength have proved to be valuable in Buffalo.

The Bills also have Ray Davis to share the gridiron with Cook, and Davis looked solid throughout training camp and the preseason campaign.

Additionally, the Cardinals had a terrible rushing defense last year, as they were ranked last in the NFL and allowed 2,434 rushing yards in 17 games. While they likely tried to clean that up, it would be smart if the Bills, who were 7th in rushing last season with 2,212 yards, leaned on their runners as well as their offensive line.