SI Underrated player: Khalil Shakir, wide receiver

[Saxum]

 

Every AFC Team’s Most Underrated Player Heading Into 2024

Conor Orr | Jul 2, 2024

 

https://www.si.com/nfl/afc-most-underrated-players-2024

Quote

I would have to imagine that Shakir, a third-year pro out of Boise State, was a major factor in the Bills decision to approach the offseason the way they did. Buffalo did not replace Stefon Diggs with a true No. 1 wide receiver and traded back when the opportunity arose to draft Keon Coleman at the back end of the first round. Shakir had a really solid season in 2023, hauling in 86.7% of his targets and accounting for 611 receiving yards. These catches were also not simple. Shakir had some high-difficulty grabs, such as the touchdown against the Las Vegas Raiders just before the half after Josh Allen spent his time extending the play. Shakir plays incredibly well off blocks and seems to understand the spacing of an offense well. I’ve made the Cooper Kupp comparison before, and I do think there’s sort of a budget Kupp element to Shakir’s game. Perhaps that is where the Bills are trending offensively, where they’ll manufacture more touches than depend on winning athletically in a division that has some stellar cornerback play. 

 

I agree with Orr on this looking at each of the catches he made in 2022 - it is clear that Eric Moulds, his off season coach, has taught him to  be a NFL professional to be available to QB and make most with throws he got.

[90sBills]

He will quietly surprise people. 

[Charles Romes]

You really shouldn’t be sneaking up on anyone if you are the #1 NFL WR in reception per target percentage while also being top 15 in YPC. 

[BADOLBILZ]

 

Will it upscale with more opportunities and as defense's adjust to his tape and pay greater attention to him?

 

That's the question.

 

It often does not.

[nedboy7]

Nah he sucks.  

Beat you all! 

[PonyBoy]

20 minutes ago, nedboy7 said:

Nah he sucks.  

Beat you all! 

 

Hmmm... I've read posts like this about the Bills receivers, but I can't remember who...

😀 

 

[GETTOTHE50]

I don’t even remember the raiders game haha 

[hondo in seattle]

4 hours ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

Will it upscale with more opportunities and as defense's adjust to his tape and pay greater attention to him?

 

That's the question.

 

It often does not.

 

This is my worry.  Well, one of my worries.  My bigger worry is if Brady knows how to scheme guys open.  If he does, I think Shakir's efficiency and production do scale up nicely.  

[Snowbowl]

He’s making progress every year. Now that there’s a bunch of supporting cast to spread the ball to teams can’t game plan for anyone like they could for Diggs. Looking forward to our offense this year!

[Richard Noggin]

10 hours ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

Will it upscale with more opportunities and as defense's adjust to his tape and pay greater attention to him?

 

That's the question.

 

It often does not.

 

Of course that is where Kincaid and Samuel and Coleman and MVS (and others) would ideally come into play...

 

No one is expecting Shakir to suddenly line up on the boundary, across from Sauce Gardner, every play, like some alpha-X target and have the passing offense run through him. But when he does line up and draw coverage, then there are built-in concepts and progressions designed to take advantage of other quadrants of the field. 

[ChronicAndKnuckles]

Definitely a guy to take a flyer on if u play fantasy. 

[machine gun kelly]

I seriously doubt Shakir is going to the outside.  He’ll be a slot WR, and when he improves to Beasley in his prime, he’ll most likely have more receptions than any other WR although it will be underneath throws.

[JerseyBills]

He really didn't get opportunities til week 7. Previous 6 weeks he had 4 rec in limited play.

Shakir got super high potential going forward.  Skys the limit. 

Kupp is a good comparison.

Shakir awareness and being "twitchy" after the catch really caught my eye, incredible, making him very elusive

 

I said this a few times  that he had to be a big factor in Bills moving Diggs, knowing they have a potential superstar already on the roster

 

[Saxum]

1 hour ago, JerseyBills said:

He really didn't get opportunities til week 7. Previous 6 weeks he had 4 rec in limited play.

Shakir got super high potential going forward.  Skys the limit. 

Kupp is a good comparison.

Shakir awareness and being "twitchy" after the catch really caught my eye, incredible, making him very elusive

 

I said this a few times  that he had to be a big factor in Bills moving Diggs, knowing they have a potential superstar already on the roster

 

 

Diggs was a bigger factor though.  It was as if he hit a cliff combined with a bad attitude.  Bills did a lot things to try to help him but he did not try to make extra effort.

 

[Pete]

4 hours ago, ChronicAndKnuckles said:

Definitely a guy to take a flyer on if u play fantasy. 

Bills fantasy draft will be tough.

 

Samuel or Shakir?  Or Dalton?

 

Curtis has been shooting in draft boards, and is in top 50 most drafts 

 

[Utah John]

Looking ahead, which is where Beane spends half his time looking, Shakir will be the slot receiver for a decade.  Coleman will be WR2.  MVS and the others are rentals/bandaids.  The Bills are in salary cap purgatory this year and did well to patch holes as well as they did.  WR1 will come next year when the Bills draft a little higher (not too high, I hope) and have more cash to spend.  

[I'm Spartacus]

2 hours ago, Punching Bag said:

 

Diggs was a bigger factor though.  It was as if he hit a cliff combined with a bad attitude.  Bills did a lot things to try to help him but he did not try to make extra effort.

 

I wish we knew the behind the scenes story on Diggs. The eyeball test seemed to show him as a me first diva. Did he mouth off to Beane or McDermott? We will never get the real story, unless a player breaks the code of silence. At any rate, i am glad we moved on. The receiving group might just be better IMO.

[ganesh]

20 hours ago, Charles Romes said:

You really shouldn’t be sneaking up on anyone if you are the #1 NFL WR in reception per target percentage while also being top 15 in YPC. 

But..But...He does not have the size of an NFL Prototype Receiver and never will have the speed of some of those Divas...... Shakir will continue to prove people wrong as he continues his growth.  Barring injury, he will be a primary target of Josh Allen.  Go Bills !

[SCBills]

20 hours ago, BADOLBILZ said:

 

Will it upscale with more opportunities and as defense's adjust to his tape and pay greater attention to him?

 

That's the question.

 

It often does not.

I’d hope we’re expecting him to be a better version of what he was last half of the season .. which is a very good player, but not someone we’re expecting to be a WR1. 

[Rockinon]

3 hours ago, Punching Bag said:

 

Diggs was a bigger factor though.  It was as if he hit a cliff combined with a bad attitude.  Bills did a lot things to try to help him but he did not try to make extra effort.

 

Defenses were putting sometimes 3 DBs in Diggs area of the field. No receiver even in their prime is going to dominate in that scenario. I think there may have been some frustration on Digg's part but the bad attitude is largely overblown. It became necessary to scheme other receivers open because Diggs was drawing too much attention. Brady was right on the money by spreading the ball around and getting other players involved in the offense. The Bills are going to continue with that philosophy. Spread the ball around, use presnap motion, blend in more running concepts, utilize the TEs and work in some passing concepts that get WRs open quickly. There will be deep concepts too, but there will be fewer attempts in an attempt to not force it. I have high hopes for Brady's success and Allen growing into a more complete and experienced QB. All of the pieces are coming together. It's no longer going to be the Josh to Diggs show. It's very much going to be the whole team coming together approach and that is a good thing.