Which Wide Receivers Will Surprise the NFL For the Buffalo Bills?

Wide receiver has been the topic of the offseason for Bills fans. Fans of this team looked at the production from the roster last year and wanted another wide receiver threat, even before Brandon Beane sent shockwaves through the NFL by trading Stefon Diggs to Houston.

Beane selected Keon Coleman, a physical specimen of a wide receiver, with the 33rd overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, but he alone won’t be the lone savior of this receiving core. Who else might surprise when the Bills take the field for training camp next month?

Curtis Samuel

The first wide receiver acquisition of the offseason, Curtis Samuel, is often being overlooked by Bills fans, largely because he isn’t the prototypical X receiver or a young, exciting option. Don’t sleep on Samuel to be heavily involved in this offense, and for reporters on site to flood your timelines with posts like “Josh Allen hits Curtis Samuel across the middle for a chunk gain” all training camp.

Samuel has plenty of familiarity with this front office. Offensive Coordinator Joe Brady was in Carolina dialing up plenty of looks for Samuel a few years ago, and Beane was in the Panthers front office that scouted Samuel when he was at Ohio State. Beane is on record loving how Samuel spent time in the receiver room and running back room at Ohio State, which is exactly how Brady utilized Samuel in Carolina. Samuel will be a do-everything weapon in the new-look Bills offense.

Khalil Shakir

Few players on the Bills roster are developing a cult following quite like Khalil Shakir, and count me as one of them that’s drinking the Kool-Aid. The Boise State product took a massive step forward in the second half of his second pro season, showing great YAC ability and flexibility within the scheme.

His usage saw a massive uptick starting in Week 8 of last season, logging four or more targets in six of the final 10 games, including three games in that stretch with 92 or more receiving yards. Shakir was also heavily targeted in both Bills playoff games, scoring a touchdown in both games while logging a career-high nine targets in the (gulp) loss to the Chiefs.

Shakir is shifty with terrific short area agility and route running chops, and seems to fit what Brady wants to do with the Bills offense. He’s going to get his looks.

Keon Coleman

We can’t not talk about Coleman, who will bring a unique skillset to the Bills offense that they have been missing – a big, boundary wide receiver with contested catch ability.

Coleman carries all the excitement in the world, and his jovial, authentic personality has snagged the affection of Bills fans everywhere. While it has been stated that the Bills expect Coleman to step in and be the X in this offense, fans also need to temper expectations and allow the kid time to adjust to the NFL.

That said, this is a physical wide receiver with leaping ability and plenty of highlight-reel catches to his name. When a play breaks down and Josh Allen scrambles and starts playing backyard football, Coleman could be a benefactor of jump ball situations. There will be plenty of red zone/contested catch highlights making the rounds when training camp opens up, but please, I beg you – don’t let the hype train get out of control too early.