Ascending Bills WR earns spot on NFL analyst’s ‘All-Breakout’ team

There’s an age-old quote oft-attributed to the Roman philosopher Seneca: “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” By this definition, one could consider Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir quite lucky.

The 24-year-old has made the most of his admittedly limited opportunities throughout his two professional seasons, particularly flashing down the stretch of a 2023 campaign in which he ultimately caught 39 passes for 611 yards. He became an offensive mainstay after Joe Brady took over as play-caller in Week 11, earning quarterback Josh Allen’s trust and catching 20 passes for 363 yards over the final seven games of the season. He caught another 10 passes for 75 yards and two scores in the playoffs.

He was one of several players who benefited from Brady’s ascension to play-caller, a player who consistently stepped up as more was put on his plate and, thus, earned increasing opportunities as the season progressed. The third-year contributor now finds himself with his most advantageous opportunity yet—a possibility to enter the 2024 NFL season as the top wide receiver on Buffalo’s depth chart.

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The Bills allowed pass-catcher Gabriel Davis to depart in free agency before trading perennial Pro Bowler Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans, leaving Shakir as the sole wide receiver on the Bills’ roster who has caught a pass from Allen in a regular season contest. Buffalo supplemented its offseason omissions at receiver with players like Curtis Samuel, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and rookie Keon Coleman, but none of these players—at least not initially—are objectively better than Shakir, meaning that the former Boise State Bronco should have plenty of opportunities to impress throughout the 2024 campaign.

This sentiment has been echoed by NFL.com writer Bucky Brooks in a recent article constructing a hypothetical offensive “All-Breakout” team ahead of the 2024 NFL season. Shakir is included as one of three wideouts on Brooks’ list, with the analyst making particular note of his favorable situation.  

“The trade of Stefon Diggs opened up the WR1 role in the passing game,” Brooks wrote. “Although the team drafted Keon Coleman with the 33rd overall pick to potentially fill the void, Shakir could take over as the lead receiver following a 2023 campaign that showcased his potential as a big-play threat (39 catches for 611 yards and two scores). With more opportunities in Joe Brady’s scheme, the third-year pro could crack the 1,000-yard mark.”

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If any Buffalo wide receiver is going to usurp 1,000 yards in the 2024 campaign, Shakir—thanks to his demonstrated comfort in a Brady scheme and rapport with Allen—seems the surest bet. It’s also fair to expect the Bills to have a 1,000-yard receiver in the upcoming season, as a Buffalo wideout has gone for at least 1,000 yards in all but one of Allen’s seasons at the helm of the offense. 

That said, the Bills are expected to spread the ball around quite a bit throughout the 2024 season, with Shakir fighting for targets with the likes of Samuel, Coleman, and, perhaps most significantly, second-year tight end Dalton Kincaid. The former Utah Ute is expected to ascend into a particularly prominent role in his sophomore season—Shakir may be Buffalo’s leading wide receiver, but Kincaid will likely be Allen’s primary target in the passing game.

Potentially crowded pass-catcher unit aside, Shakir still projects to have a breakout 2024 campaign and is, thus, an inspired selection on Brooks’ list.

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