The Buffalo Bills are facing a receiver crisis as they head to Denver, and their success hinges on who steps up! Losing key wide receivers Gabe Davis and Tyrell Shavers to ACL tears in their wild-card win against the Jacksonville Jaguars has left the Bills with a depleted receiving corps. As of Friday morning, the team was down to just three healthy receivers: Khalil Shakir, Brandin Cooks, and Keon Coleman. Since then, the situation has improved slightly with the activation of Curtis Samuel from injured reserve and the elevation of Mecole Hardman Jr. from the practice squad. But here's where it gets interesting...
During the regular season, Khalil Shakir led the team in receiving yards with 719 yards. However, the next two spots weren't held by wide receivers; tight ends Dalton Kincaid (with 571 yards) and Dawson Knox (with 417 yards) filled those roles.
Adding fuel to the fire, former Bills receiver (now with the Broncos) Elijah Moore, who played nine games with two starts in Buffalo before being released, offered a candid perspective on the situation. He commented on the lack of targets for the wide receivers in the Bills' offense.
And this is the part most people miss... The available receivers for Sunday's game had a combined 175 targets during the regular season. This number represents only 36.5% of the total 479 passes thrown in 2025. Shakir alone accounted for 95 targets, while Coleman had 59, Cooks 11, Samuel 6, and Hardman only 1.
Last week's performance offers a glimpse of what's to come. The five available receivers combined for 18 of the 35 targets, with Shakir catching all 12 passes thrown his way. Cooks managed 3 catches on 5 targets, and Coleman had a single target resulting in a 36-yard gain.
Ultimately, quarterback Josh Allen is the key to the Bills' offensive success. However, if Shakir faces extra attention from the Denver defense, especially from a very good player like Patrick Surtain II, it will be crucial for Cooks, Coleman (who was a healthy scratch four times during the regular season), Samuel (who hasn't played since Week 10), or Hardman (who appeared in only two games) to step up and make plays.
What do you think? Will the remaining receivers be able to fill the void left by the injured players? Do you agree with Elijah Moore's assessment of the Bills' passing game? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
