Bleacher Report predicted every NFL team’s “breakout player” for the 2022 NFL season. For the Buffalo Bills, wide receiver Gabriel Davis was the pick.
If you’re slamming the brakes on that idea, even B/R had to pump them a bit.
Davis? A breakout candidate? Hasn’t that happened?
B/R admits yes, but still goes on to explain the line of thinking:
You could argue that Gabriel Davis has already broken out. He certainly made his name known across the league with his eight catches for 201 yards and four touchdowns in the Bills’ playoff loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
This season, he’s going to show that wasn’t just a one-off performance.
Davis put up nearly identical statistical seasons in his first two years. He was the Bills’ fifth-leading pass-catcher with 35 catches for 549 yards and six touchdowns.
But two of the wide receivers who had more yards and targets than him were Cole Beasley and Emmanuel Sanders. Neither is on the roster anymore. That makes Davis the clear-cut second option outside of Stefon Diggs.
With Josh Allen throwing him the football, Davis has the opportunity and ability to go from deep-threat specialist to all-around receiver who can crack 1,000 yards.
Davis as the selection is all about the snaps that are going to come to him now.
The one to really look at is Sanders.
Beasley has since been replaced by both Jamison Crowder and Isaiah McKenzie. That position is in the slot and won’t really play a part in terms of increased snaps for Davis.
Sanders absolutely will..
Davis is slated to be Buffalo’s No. 2 receiver across from Diggs without Sanders. Earlier this week, Sanders made it sound like he will not be back with the Bills. The NFL? Maybe–but nothing mentioned about Buffalo.
Unless the Bills draft a receiver high at the draft, Davis might double his numbers from last year in 2022.
[lawrence-related id=99411,99485,99492]