Calling it now: You're all about to witness the arrival of Shakir

[Alphadawg7]

Heading into the draft in 2022 I posted about keeping an eye on Shakir and the Bills.  I missed rounds 3 and 4 and came back to the draft right as we were announcing our pick in the 5th having no idea he was still on the board and was stunned when they called his name and thought I misheard it because I figured he would go in rounds 2 or 3.  I was thrilled when we called his name, maybe the most excited I have ever been about a pick that wasn't an early round choice, and I have been maybe his biggest cheerleader since getting here.  Ive got a pretty good track record on WR's around here, and he was one I felt from the get go was going to be different and develop into a great player for us.  

 

Ive posted threads and countless comments about him since we took him, and here is a quote back in early May after the draft showing an example of that belief in him early on and not just since his mini breakout this year.  

 

On 5/11/2022 at 11:34 AM, Alphadawg7 said:

Another example...Shakir this year...getting him in the 5th round, I do think he has elite talent potential where he could develop into one of the best slot WRs in football.  So much about his tape reminds me of Kupp in how he uses his hands, controls his body, runs his routes etc.  And he has some of Deebo or AJ Brown in him after the catch too where he runs with strength and agility.  Doesn't mean he will, but I do think he has elite talent potential despite a 2nd/3rd round grade heading into draft and an actual 5th round draft selection.  

 

Now after reading that above from May of 2022...watch this highlight video and tell me that doesn't look spot on to how I described hm.  From how he plays as a WR, to how he has some Deebo and AJ Brown in him with the ball in his hands.

 

SHAKIR HIGHLIGHTS CLICK HERE (highly suggest you watch before commenting to at least see what I am referencing)

 

This man is an excellent route runner...has sure hands...runs a 4.43 forty...is shifty...excels with YAC and is tough when running...and he is a smart player.  Most importantly, he has the drive to be great and trains in the offseason with players like Moulds.  His biggest shortcoming is he doesn't have long arms which makes him less of a go up and get it WR, but we don't need him to be that when he is so good at everything else.

 

2023 Stats: 87% Catch Rate, 39 Rec on 45 Targets, 611 Yards (13.5 yards per TARGET - insane), 15.6 YPC, 2 TD's

 

Diggs had 160 targets in 2023 for 1183 yards.  Now I know Diggs is drawing the best of the defense a lot of the times, so its not an apples to apples comparison.  But just out of curiosity, what does Shakir's season look like on 160 targets based on his stats last year?  

 

Diggs:  160 Targets, 107 Rec, 1183 yards, 8 TD's

Shakir:  160 Targets, 139 Rec, 2160 yards, 7 TD's

 

Again, I know that is an unrealistic comparison given the level of defensive attention both got and how Shakir benefits from the extra attention Diggs takes.  BUT...that is a massively different level of efficiency and effectiveness.  And defenses STILL will have to contend with Shakir, what ever rookie we draft, Kincaid, Samuel, Knox, Cook as receiver and Allen running.  So Shakir still should see plenty of opportunities against the defenses moving forward.  

 

I mean, even if he just gets up to 100 targets, that is still a 1,350 yard season, and make no mistake about it, he very well could (and probably should) see 100 targets this year.  He is going to be the ONLY WR with any experience and rapport with Josh entering camp, he definitely caught Josh's attention and the teams last year and became a play making machine who they trust.  This team notoriously likes to ease Rookies in as much as they can, so doubtful any rookie is coming in commanding anywhere near Diggs target share.  

 

Dorsey was an idiot for not using him in 2022 when we needed help bad in the slot...he was a bigger fool for not getting him involved earlier in 2023.  In Joe Bradys first game, Shakir had his first career 100 yard game and would go on to end the season with another one.  Diggs had 0 games with 100 yards during that stretch.  

 

In the aftermath of the Diggs trade...the time is now.  I think you will see Shakir emerge as a legit WR and legit weapon for this team and not only will he break 1000 yards this year, he very well may lead the team in both receptions and yards.  And I think he is one of the reasons they felt confident to trade Diggs now rather than later.  

 

You heard it hear first...and have been hearing it here about him since before the 2022 draft.  

 

#WitnessTheArrival

Edited April 5 by Alphadawg7

[NickelCity]

It's a good write up and I don't wanna be glib, but to an extent I think he arrived last season! To bills fans at least. He'll be known to league wide fans shortly.

[Alphadawg7]

Just now, NickelCity said:

It's a good write up and I don't wanna be glib, but to an extent I think he arrived last season! To bills fans at least. He'll be known to league wide fans shortly.

 

I don't disagree, I even referenced his season as a mini breakout last year and some are seeing what I have been saying since 2022, but most are still over looking him and what his potential now is with Diggs gone.  Most still think of him as more of a role player.

[mrags]

I think he’s a lock for our slot WR. And fully expect him to be as good or better than Beasley at his best on the Bills. At a minimum, assuming he’s healthy all season, I fully expect 80+ receptions, 800+ yards, and 7+ TDs. 

[NickelCity]

1 minute ago, Alphadawg7 said:

 

I don't disagree, I even referenced his season as a mini breakout last year and some are seeing what I have been saying since 2022, but most are still over looking him and what his potential now is with Diggs gone.  Most still think of him as more of a role player.

 

It's not an unreasonable take. I really only frequent TBD, so I'm used to more plugged in bills fans (lol). 

 

Id like to see Shakir add a few Beasley moves to find a soft spots in zones. He has done it, and I can't wait to see more 

[Alphadawg7]

Just now, mrags said:

I think he’s a lock for our slot WR. And fully expect him to be as good or better than Beasley at his best on the Bills. At a minimum, assuming he’s healthy all season, I fully expect 80+ receptions, 800+ yards, and 7+ TDs. 

 

If he gets 80 receptions, he will definitely be over 1000 yards.  He is too good after the catch not to be.  Cole was amazing at getting to a spot and making the play to move the chains.  He wasn't the YAC guy that Shakir is, Cole was easy to take down and tackle.  

[NoSaint]

I’ll say again- lance moore, not kupp.

 

who is still a great contributor but not an elite player

[Búfalo Blanco]

I'll definitely agree with you on this one, Alphadawg... 

 

Shakir was my favorite Bills breakout last season and he didn't take off quite like I thought he would, but there were glimpses.. especially once Brady took over.

 

Great analysis.

[mrags]

Just now, Alphadawg7 said:

 

If he gets 80 receptions, he will definitely be over 1000 yards.  He is too good after the catch not to be.  Cole was amazing at getting to a spot and making the play to move the chains.  He wasn't the YAC guy that Shakir is, Cole was easy to take down and tackle.  

Agree on the comparison or lack of. I am just not sold on him reaching 1k yet. Diggs is the only one to do it since John Browns first year on the team when he was the #1 and barely surpassed 1k with 1,060 yards. 

 

 

 

 

[SCBills]

I still legitimately have no idea what Shakir is tbh. 

[Alphadawg7]

Just now, NoSaint said:

I’ll say again- lance moore, not kupp.

 

who is still a great contributor but not an elite player

 

No disrespect, but I can confidently say he will be a much better player than Lance Moore.  

 

I am not saying he is as good as Kupp, but no one thought Kupp was a WR1 until he had a monster season with Stafford one year and got an insane 191 targets.  For Kupp, it was a change at QB and almost 200 targets to break out into legit WR1 discussions...for Shakir, it might just be the removal of a 160 target hog of Diggs.  But he does pattern his game off of Kupp and studies him, and I felt his college tape reminded me a lot of Kupp even before he said that just in style of play. 

 

Big difference though between Shakir and Kupp is Shakir is quite a bit faster than Kupp down field (4.43 compared to a 4.64 forty time) but Kupp has excellent sudden movement so he plays a lot faster than his 40 time suggests in the short and mid areas of the field where he eats the most.  

[MJS]

I think Shakir is a good player. He is versatile. I just don't think he has a super high ceiling. He could develop into a decent #2 receiver or slot receiver, but I don't see him as more than that.

 

But I could be wrong. You never know.

[Alphadawg7]

2 minutes ago, SCBills said:

I still legitimately have no idea what Shakir is tbh. 

 

And thats fair...that just means it will be even more fun for you when you find out this year HA 

[HappyDays]

21 minutes ago, Alphadawg7 said:

I mean, even if he just gets up to 100 targets, that is still a 1,350 yard season

 

It's not a 1:1 comparison but this was the pro-Gabe Davis narrative after 2020. As we found out, yards per target doesn't automatically scale like that. Some players' skill sets shine better when they are low target players.

 

I'll gladly eat crow if I'm wrong but I think Shakir is one of those players. I see people compare him to Beasley but I think they're almost total opposites. Shakir isn't nearly as sudden as Beasley was on his route breaks which means his success against man will always be limited. If you can't regularly beat man you can't be a high volume target, simple as that.

 

I still love Shakir in his current role though. Strong hands + great YAC is an extremely valuable complementary skillset.

[Alphadawg7]

8 minutes ago, MJS said:

I think Shakir is a good player. He is versatile. I just don't think he has a super high ceiling. He could develop into a decent #2 receiver or slot receiver, but I don't see him as more than that.

 

But I could be wrong. You never know.

 

All good, its why I started this thread.  A lot of people feel the same as you, nothing wrong with that.  Honest question...did you watch the highlight video?  I think people forget the kind of plays he was making when he got opportunities.  These were not just a bunch of simple plays.  The route running, concentration, hands, body control, physicality, YAC ability were all on display.  I think people still have a limited view of him based on his draft slot of the 5th round because what he has shown glimpses of on the field is pretty strong.   

 

Edited April 5 by Alphadawg7

[Alphadawg7]

28 minutes ago, NickelCity said:

It's a good write up and I don't wanna be glib, but to an extent I think he arrived last season! To bills fans at least. He'll be known to league wide fans shortly.

 

As you can see by the responses here...most still see him as more of a role player as I was saying.  Nothing wrong with that, but this is what I mean when I say I believe everyone is about to see the arrival of Shakir as more than just a role player many think he is.

[HappyDays]

18 minutes ago, Alphadawg7 said:

I am not saying he is as good as Kupp, but no one thought Kupp was a WR1 until he had a monster season with Stafford one year and got an insane 191 targets.  For Kupp, it was a change at QB and almost 200 targets to break out into legit WR1 discussions...for Shakir, it might just be the removal of a 160 target hog of Diggs.  But he does pattern his game off of Kupp and studies him, and I felt his college tape reminded me a lot of Kupp even before he said that just in style of play. 

 

Kupp's route running was special. Shakir's route running is pretty good. He creates space after the catch, not before the catch.

 

If anything Puka Nacua is the stylistic comp you're looking for, although Nacua is 2 inches taller and his arms are 2.5 inches longer. If Shakir can be the poor man's version of what Nacua was last year that's more than satisfactory.

[NoSaint]

10 minutes ago, Alphadawg7 said:

 

No disrespect, but I can confidently say he will be a much better player than Lance Moore.  

 

I am not saying he is as good as Kupp, but no one thought Kupp was a WR1 until he had a monster season with Stafford one year and got an insane 191 targets.  For Kupp, it was a change at QB and almost 200 targets to break out into legit WR1 discussions...for Shakir, it might just be the removal of a 160 target hog of Diggs.  But he does pattern his game off of Kupp and studies him, and I felt his college tape reminded me a lot of Kupp even before he said that just in style of play. 

 

Big difference though between Shakir and Kupp is Shakir is quite a bit faster than Kupp down field (4.43 compared to a 4.64 forty time) but Kupp has excellent sudden movement so he plays a lot faster than his 40 time suggests in the short and mid areas of the field where he eats the most.  

kupp had 92 and 94 catches the two years prior tied for 11th and outright 9th in the league with Goff at qb. Stafford is very wr friendly but lets not pretend about kupp

 

being a west coast nfc team he wasn’t a household name especially here but I think he was a wr1 unless you mean wasn’t wr1 for the entire nfl 

 

as for Moore- top 3 seasons would be: 

 

65-1041-6

79-928-10

66-763-8

 

Solid yac guy who did some punt/kick returns. Not a ton but I call it out as a testament to him being able to move with the ball. 

[0017]

I’m excited to see what he can do with a full year under Brady, he has great hands, some of his catches in the playoffs were really good! I think he’s earned a spot in the lineup when we have a slot WR on the field. 

[Alphadawg7]

8 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

 

It's not a 1:1 comparison but this was the pro-Gabe Davis narrative after 2020. As we found out, yards per target doesn't automatically scale like that. Some players' skill sets shine better when they are low target players.

 

I'll gladly eat crow if I'm wrong but I think Shakir is one of those players. I see people compare him to Beasley but I think they're almost total opposites. Shakir isn't nearly as sudden as Beasley was on his route breaks which means his success against man will always be limited. If you can't regularly beat man you can't be a high volume target, simple as that.

 

I still love Shakir in his current role though. Strong hands + great YAC is an extremely valuable complementary skillset.

 

All good, this isn't one of those things where I am going to tell everyone they are wrong.  More just putting it out there now where my level of confidence is, and has always been, with Shakir in this league.  I have done a few of these Calling it now posts and all have been spot on or very close to spot on because I only do it when I really feel it.  And I can't tell you why, but I have just always felt it about Shakir going back to college.  

 

And agree, the Beasley comparison makes no sense at all.  Honestly, those people comparing him to Beasley are just making a lazy comparison because they see them both as slot WRs even though they are not remotely similar as players.  Cole was quick, not fast.  He was smart, not tough.  He was a move the chains slot guy, not a make a big play slot guy.  Don't get me wrong, Cole was a very good slot WR, he was just solely a slot WR and a short area specialist.  Shakir can move inside and outside, he is fast and can beat you downfield.  He isnt as fast as Cole with that sudden movement, but few are, and Shakir is still quick himself with good route running to go with it.  

 

All good, I am glad you at least see him as a valuable player.  But I do think you find out he is more than you are giving him credit for this upcoming season.  And if I am wrong, so be it, he will still be a valuable role player and fun to watch, that much he has already proved. 

[Juice_32]

I feel like you’re usually spot on with these kinds of posts, so I’m in! 

[Alphadawg7]

17 minutes ago, NoSaint said:

kupp had 92 and 94 catches the two years prior tied for 11th and outright 9th in the league with Goff at qb. Stafford is very wr friendly but lets not pretend about kupp

 

being a west coast nfc team he wasn’t a household name especially here but I think he was a wr1 unless you mean wasn’t wr1 for the entire nfl 

 

as for Moore- top 3 seasons would be: 

 

65-1041-6

79-928-10

66-763-8

 

Solid yac guy who did some punt/kick returns. Not a ton but I call it out as a testament to him being able to move with the ball. 

 

Sorry that just isn't accurate.  Kupp was not seen as a true WR1 prior to the Stafford season, that was the point.  I live in LA, watch every Rams game.  When he had 92 and 94 catches, he only broke 1000 yards once and Robert Woods operated more as the WR1 role, but most people kind of felt the Rams had two WR2 guys in Woods and Kupp.  Kupp did not enter true WR1 and top end WR status until that monster year with Stafford that no one saw coming where he had 800 more yards than his best career season.  By the way, Kupp only has 2 seasons in his career over 1000 yards.

 

But see...here is the issue.  STATS don't compare styles.  You are comparing stats.  I am talking about the style of play.  Shakir and Kupp have a similar style of play and if you watch both long enough you can see it.  Shakir openly discusses studying Kupp and patterning his game off how he plays too.  Are they the exact same player no, but they have similar styles.   

 

And sorry, picking the 3 best stat lines (which are mostly mediocre) of a long career full of sub par stat lines for Moore does not at all translate into a fair comparison to Shakir.  Again, I will with extreme confidence say he will have a better career and be a better player than Lance Moore was.  He was a decent role player with a couple decent seasons in his career, but that was about it.   

 

 

Edited April 5 by Alphadawg7

[Alphadawg7]

25 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

 

Kupp's route running was special. Shakir's route running is pretty good. He creates space after the catch, not before the catch.

 

If anything Puka Nacua is the stylistic comp you're looking for, although Nacua is 2 inches taller and his arms are 2.5 inches longer. If Shakir can be the poor man's version of what Nacua was last year that's more than satisfactory.

 

Yeah, what makes Kupp special is his sudden movement speed combined with how smart he is as a player.  

 

But, Puka Nacua is an interesting one to bring up.  Having watched him all year, I kept saying (even posted on here) that if Shakir had been in LA this year instead of Puka, he would have put up a big season too with a target load like that.  However, Puka plays bigger than Shakir, so not sure their styles line up as much as say their roles would.  I think Shakir would have filled in that role in a similar fashion statistically, but Puka does use that size in his play and is a bit more physical in his game before the catch.  Shakir is physical after the catch, but he doesn't have the size or arm length to play big before the catch.  

[NoSaint]

21 minutes ago, Alphadawg7 said:

 

Sorry that just isn't accurate.  Kupp was not seen as a true WR1 prior to the Stafford season, that was the point.  I live in LA, watch every Rams game.  When he had 92 and 94 catches, he only broke 1000 yards once and Robert Woods operated more as the WR1 role, but most people kind of felt the Rams had two WR2 guys in Woods and Kupp.  Kupp did not enter true WR1 and top end WR status until that monster year with Stafford that no one saw coming where he had 800 more yards than his best career season.  By the way, Kupp only has 2 seasons in his career over 1000 yards.

 

But see...here is the issue.  STATS don't compare styles.  You are comparing stats.  I am talking about the style of play.  Shakir and Kupp have a similar style of play and if you watch both long enough you can see it.  Shakir openly discusses studying Kupp and patterning his game off how he plays too.  Are they the exact same player no, but they have similar styles.   

 

And sorry, picking the 3 best stat lines of a long career full of sub par stat lines for Moore does not at all translate into a fair comparison to Shakir.  Again, I will with extreme confidence say he will have a better career and be a better player than Lance Moore was.  He was a decent role player with a couple decent seasons in his career, but that was about it.   

 

 

for lance I could add a 52 catch 8 TD season he missed 2 games during and it’s 4 out of 5 years across his peak Im bringing you (excluding one year he was out most of the season). 4 years of 50-80 catches and amassing 32 tds is a think a really solid role player. 

if that’s shakirs next 5 years he had a solid run and will be 29(?). 4 of those 5 better than his current high water mark. 

 

if toning down the lecturing from a throne, I’m a saints season ticket holder and also not just comparing stats but to a guy I watched in person weekly for those 5 years. 
 

undersized, good yac (lance did handle kicks for a bit) 4.5 speed, slippery guy as wr2-3 in an offense with playmakers at te, and rb too. 

Edited April 5 by NoSaint

[BrooklynBills]

I've always thought a good comp for Shakir was Hines Ward. Similar size right down to the short arms.

[NickelCity]

51 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

Shakir's route running is pretty good. He creates space after the catch, not before the catch.

 

This is a better way to say what I was trying to. If Shakir can find openings beforehand similar to what drove Beasley's effectiveness, he'll really take off (and if the drops of yesteryear don't return). 

 

He's a good player (my definition of having arrived) and I hope he reaches the potential implied by this thread. 

Edited April 5 by NickelCity

[Alphadawg7]

18 minutes ago, Juice_32 said:

I feel like you’re usually spot on with these kinds of posts, so I’m in! 

 

Thanks, that is mainly because I have only done them when I had a very strong conviction about the topic I was discussing.  If you haven't already, urge you to just watch the highlights of Shakir this season in my OP.  I get highlight reels can make anyone look good, but these are not just routine plays he is making and he was the most reliable target on the team to boot.  You can see the route running, the soft hands, the intelligence and quick feet to break off and get open for Josh to make a big play to him when Josh is moving around to extend a play, the toughness and speed after the catch, the way he gets extra yards on almost every catch, his great feet along the sidelines, etc.  

 

We will see...but yeah, I just feel it again with him and comfortable putting that out there with confidence again.  

 

[BullBuchanan]

I think we already saw him arrive last year. It was pretty clear he could handle volume then, he just didn't get it.

I really like the kid, and have since we drafted him and I looked into how he played at Boise. Long term, I think he's a #2, but he could be one of those guys viewed like a 1B.

With no other competition on the roster, I fully expect him to get at least very close to 1k if not exceed it. It remains to be seen what happens when he goes against #1 CBs instead of #3/#4, but he won't be focused all game.

[Alphadawg7]

3 minutes ago, NoSaint said:

for lance I could add a 52 catch 8 TD season he missed 2 games during and it’s 4 out of 5 years across his peak Im bringing you (excluding one year he was out most of the season). 4 years of 50-80 catches and amassing 32 tds is a think a really solid role player. 
 

if toning down the lecturing from a throne, I’m a saints season ticket holder and also not just comparing stats but to a guy I watched in person weekly for those 5 years. 
 

undersized, good yac (lance did handle kicks for a bit) 4.5 speed, slippery guy as wr2-3 in an offense with playmakers at te, and rb too. 

 

Its all good, and to be clear, I am not saying you are wrong about Lance.  I am more saying I think you are wrong on limiting Shakirs potential to be what Lance was.  Not saying Lance Moore was a scrub, but he was never more than a role player most of his career.  Nothing against Lance Moore, but I do confidently believe Shakir has a higher ceiling than Moore and will have the better career.  Doesn't mean Lance had a bad career, I just firmly believe Shakir has a higher ceiling than that.  

 

I will give you this...I would say I think Shakirs floor is more in line with Lance Moore.  I think Shakir already showed he can handle that type of role last year moving forward.  Where we differ is that I think his ceiling is higher than that and I have confidence he is going to show that.  

[NoSaint]

13 minutes ago, Alphadawg7 said:

 

Its all good, and to be clear, I am not saying you are wrong about Lance.  I am more saying I think you are wrong on limiting Shakirs potential to be what Lance was.  Not saying Lance Moore was a scrub, but he was never more than a role player most of his career.  Nothing against Lance Moore, but I do confidently believe Shakir has a higher ceiling than Moore and will have the better career.  Doesn't mean Lance had a bad career, I just firmly believe Shakir has a higher ceiling than that.  

 

I will give you this...I would say I think Shakirs floor is more in line with Lance Moore.  I think Shakir already showed he can handle that type of role last year moving forward.  Where we differ is that I think his ceiling is higher than that and I have confidence he is going to show that.  

I suppose by that standard you think lance produced fully to his own ceiling? 
 

I think similarly as a guy that had to earn his reps both based on draft status and a crowded offense with both WR but also very good TE and pass catchers out of the backfield he probably had untapped potential  in his peak. 
 

if we draft a major wr (especially trade up)  Shakir will be WR3 with Kincaid and cook also taking noteworthy targets. He could play VERY well and not get beyond that 60 catch 900 yard and 8 TD range. 
 

do that 4-5 years (maybe a little more with the longer season!), go to another team and sunset there would be an excellent career for the guy. 

and if we trade up for a wr that’s probably not an unfair look at his role behind that guy and Kincaid the next few years 

 

Edited April 5 by NoSaint

[Alphadawg7]

12 minutes ago, NoSaint said:

I suppose by that standard you think lance produced fully to his own ceiling? 
 

I think similarly as a guy that had to earn his reps both based on draft status and a crowded offense with both WR but also very good TE and pass catchers out of the backfield he probably had untapped potential  in his peak. 
 

if we draft a major wr (especially trade up)  Shakir will be WR3 with Kincaid and cook also taking noteworthy targets. He could play VERY well and not get beyond that 60 catch 900 yard and 8 TD range. 

 

 

 

I don't disagree with your premise here or the impact a rookie may have.  Just prior to the Diggs trade, I was asked by a poster here to layout what I thought of Shakir.  And I said I confidently will say he can be a 1000+ yard WR this year on a number of teams in the NFL, but he will likely never be in Buffalo as long as Diggs is here because of the 160 targets Diggs commands every year.  

 

You can't catch what isn't thrown to you, and outside of Diggs we still had Samuel, Kincaid, Cook, etc who will all get their own targets.  So felt it was unlikely anyone outside of Diggs would breach 1000 yards with so many mouths to feed and Diggs target share.  

 

However, now we are post Diggs era earlier than expected.  Shakir is now the only WR on the team with any rapport and experience with Josh.  And we are coming off a year where Shakir was arguably the best WR down the stretch and in the playoffs and he led the team in receiving over that stretch.  So there is going to be a bigger role and confidence to start the season unlike last year where he was only on the field 11% of the snaps early in the season under Dorsey (who is a fool).  

 

We also know that McD and this team prefer to ease Rookies along rather than lean on them hard out the gate.  While I think it is plausible that we will see a rookie start as early as week 1 this year, I don't think it is plausible that he will see any where near Diggs target share.  But there is still Samuel too along with Kincaid, Knox, and Cook too.  So I think the floor for targets for Shakir is probably 60 targets and the ceiling is probably 120 targets this year with how many mouths we have to feed.  

 

Personally, I think he will finish personally between 90 and 110 targets in a spread the ball around offense, and based on last year, just 90 targets would have put him over 1200 yards with the level of efficiency he played with.    

 

 

Edited April 5 by Alphadawg7

[GoBills808]

7 minutes ago, Alphadawg7 said:

 

I don't disagree with your premise here or the impact a rookie may have.  Just prior to the Diggs trade, I was asked by a poster here to layout what I thought of Shakir.  And I said I confidently will say he can be a 1000+ yard WR this year on a number of teams in the NFL, but he will likely never be in Buffalo as long as Diggs is here because of the 160 targets Diggs commands every year.  

 

You can't catch what isn't thrown to you, and outside of Diggs we still had Samuel, Kincaid, Cook, etc who will all get their own targets.  So felt it was unlikely anyone outside of Diggs would breach 1000 yards with so many mouths to feed and Diggs target share.  

 

However, now we are post Diggs era earlier than expected.  Shakir is now the only WR on the team with any rapport and experience with Josh.  And we are coming off a year where Shakir was arguably the best WR down the stretch and in the playoffs and he led the team in receiving over that stretch.  So there is going to be a bigger role and confidence to start the season unlike last year where he was only on the field 11% of the snaps early in the season under Dorsey (who is a fool).  

 

We also know that McD and this team prefer to ease Rookies along rather than lean on them hard out the gate.  While I think it is plausible that we will see a rookie start as early as week 1 this year, I don't think it is plausible that he will see any where near Diggs target share.  But there is still Samuel too along with Kincaid, Knox, and Cook too.  So I think the floor for targets for Shakir is probably 60 targets and the ceiling is probably 120 targets this year with how many mouths we have to feed.  

 

Personally, I think he will finish personally between 90 and 110 targets in a spread the ball around offense, and based on last year, just 90 targets would have put him over 1200 yards with the level of efficiency he played with.    

 

 

You know there were only 12 guys in the whole league that went over 1200 yards last year right

 

Shakir's a good third option. Let's not overcomplicate this

[Alphadawg7]

35 minutes ago, GoBills808 said:

You know there were only 12 guys in the whole league that went over 1200 yards last year right

 

Shakir's a good third option. Let's not overcomplicate this

I didn’t say he’s getting to 1200 yards, I said based on his efficiency last year he would have reached 1200 yards on 90 targets.  

[Comebackkid]

what i notice watching the video that sets him apart from our other receivers is this.

 

when he has to turn is body to catch the ball and then turn back around and run his pivot point is very small..especially on the edge which 

makes him a lot more elusive.    watch others and they make a looping turn and get takin down. 

 

also good power and balance lets him bounce off tackles. 

 

Edited April 5 by Comebackkid

[Chandler#81]

2 hours ago, Alphadawg7 said:

 

As you can see by the responses here...most still see him as more of a role player as I was saying.  Nothing wrong with that, but this is what I mean when I say I believe everyone is about to see the arrival of Shakir as more than just a role player many think he is.

I’ve been a big proponent of him as well. He clearly won WR2 last year, making Davis expendable. WR1? I’m not so sure, but he’s a starter and currently Allen’s favorite.

Thats good enough for me!

[WyoAZBillfan]

Watching teams like WY, MT, And Boise. I agree with most all what your saying. I think given the chance, much like 17 he will shine. 

[Mat68]

Shakir, Kincaid and Cook will be the primary attack.  Allen was the most efficient while targeting them.  I could see a break out year for Shakir and Kincaid. 

[davefan66]

1 hour ago, Comebackkid said:

what i notice watching the video that sets him apart from our other receivers is this.

 

when he has to turn is body to catch the ball and then turn back around and run his pivot point is very small..especially on the edge which 

makes me a lot more elusive.    watch others and they make a looping turn and get takin down. 

 

also good power and balance lets him bounce off tackles. 

 

He is also very good about catching the ball and immediately getting it into a protected position.  Sounds goofy but watching the tape he engulfs the ball.  Dude just knows how to catch the ball.

 

He has great football awareness. Knows where the defenders are and has the ability to make immediate football moves. Ability to slip and slide and make extra yards.  Good sideline awareness.  
 

I think came on strong last year.  That wouldn’t be the sole reason we traded Diggs, but certainly gave the Bills some peace of mind.

[JerseyBills]

We did under Brady. He was clearly the best WR on the field under him

[Pete]

Shakir was the Bills leading WR the last 12 weeks.