By Anthony Licciardi
NFL withdrawal affects us all differently. Some spend the summer obsessively preparing for fantasy leagues they never seem to win. Others head to Twitter to argue on behalf of their favorite player, striving for a personal thank you note that will never come. Many scour depth charts, creating a fantasized version of a team in which nothing can go wrong.
Who’s going to stop a Philadelphia Eagles offense with Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Dallas Goedert, and a good offensive line?
The answer: Jalen Hurts, probably, but that’s a story for another day.
The point is, a handful of teams make the necessary additions each year to seem unstoppable if a couple things break their way. For the Buffalo Bills, a Gabriel Davis breakout could land them a Lombardi Trophy.
Gabriel Davis might be the most polarizing wide receiver on the planet, and for good reason.
Davis has dominated the fantasy football discourse due to his inflated average draft position (ADP). He’s being drafted around established threats like Adam Thielen, Allen Robinson, and Tyler Lockett.
The problem? Davis commanded a resoundingly low 11% target share last year. That’s less than Jalen Reagor! He touched five receptions and surpassed 100 yards one time each during the regular season. If it wasn’t for one of the greatest playoff performances of all time—eight receptions, 201 yards, and four touchdowns—we probably wouldn’t be having this conversation.
But hey, it happened. Sometimes football delivers cataclysmic events that we must endure and acknowledge when discussing the sport. Eli Manning won two Super Bowls. Nick Foles won one!
However unlikely Davis’ playoff explosion seemed, it undoubtedly has some impact on his perception around the league, and likely in Buffalo, too.
Davis is in line to be the Bills’ starting Z receiver. Paired alongside superstar Stefon Diggs, Buffalo’s aerial attack will likely return to prominence in 2022. Throw in a post-breakout Dawson Knox and dependable Jamison Crowder. Oh, and Josh Allen is almost as good running as he is throwing.
Every ounce of attention Davis takes away from Diggs is a win in itself. If his deep ball prowess leads to more two-high shells, Allen and company can take advantage of that, too.
It’s possible Pro Football Focus’ No. 10 wide receiver from 2021 just needs more playing time. Davis’ 414 receiving snaps ranked fourth amongst Bills receivers. With more snaps will come more targets. In a high-octane offense, it’s easy to see production on the horizon.
DraftKings currently has Davis as +100 to go over 875.5 receiving yards. That’s a pretty enticing line for someone with this much hype.