One Colorado Receiver That Can Unlock the Buffaloes Offense

After making several additions to the wide receiver room, the Colorado Buffaloes appear to be in a great spot to have a much more productive offense heading into 2026. With how much the offense struggled in 2025, coach Deion Sanders made major changes to the weapons Colorado has on the perimeter, and as of now, it appears that the Buffaloes could have one of the better receiver groups they have had under Sanders.

However, even with all the additions, there is one crucial piece of Colorado’s receiver room returning from 2025 who could prove to be a major piece of what the Buffaloes look to do in 2026.

Key Colorado Wide Receiver Core Joseph Williams Coach Deion Sanders Brennan Marion Big 12 Transfer Portal Additions — Nov 8, 2025; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver Joseph Williams (8) celebrates after catching a pass for a touchdown during the second quarter against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Milan Puskar Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images | Ben Queen-Imagn Images

Wide Receiver Joseph Williams

One of Colorado’s most important pieces in the wide receiver room could very well be Joseph Williams, who returns to the Buffaloes after a solid showing in 2025.

Last season, Williams recorded 37 receptions for 489 yards and four touchdowns while averaging 13.2 yards per catch. Even with the lack of consistency that Colorado had at the quarterback position, Williams was able to have a solid season and worked into being the Buffaloes' second option in 2025.

With the production that Williams put on display in 2025, he proved that he could be a valuable piece for Colorado on the perimeter and can contribute to the offense moving forward. One key reason for Williams' production was size, standing at 6-2 and 200 pounds. With the frame Williams brings, he could become a great contested catch option for Colorado in the red zone, which could become very valuable for the Buffaloes' offense moving forward.

During the 2025 season, Williams was also able to establish a strong chemistry with redshirt freshman quarterback Julian Lewis, who is projected to be the starter for the Buffaloes in 2026.

In Lewis’ start against West Virginia, Williams totaled three catches for 64 yards and one touchdown, which showed that this duo could be a productive one, the more opportunities they have to connect.

Heading into 2026, Williams' connection with Lewis, in addition to the size he provides, are two key factors that could help him to add a valuable skill set to Colorado’s wide receiver room in 2026.

Colorado’s Passing Attack

While bringing back Williams is great for the Buffaloes' offense, Colorado also made a few changes to the wide receiver position through the transfer portal.

Some of the biggest additions at wide receiver for the Buffaloes are San Jose State transfer Danny Scudero, Texas transfer DeAndre Moore Jr., Miami (Ohio) transfer Kam Perry, and Sacramento State transfer Ernest Campbell. With these additions, Colorado has added speed, opportunity for explosive plays, and a few players who have the ability to take over games.

In addition to the changes Colorado made at receiver, the Buffaloes were also able to bring in Brennan Marion as the offensive coordinator. As an offensive coordinator, Marion has found great success with his Go-Go offense that hinges on establishing an explosive rush attack and getting the ball in space to playmakers in the passing game.

Based on the personnel that Colorado has in the receiver room, Marion’s offense could be the perfect fit for the Buffaloes. At quarterback, Lewis seems to function best as a point guard with the ability to get the ball out quickly to his playmakers on the perimeter.

To help Lewis make the quick reads, Marion could put players like Scudero, Perry, and Campbell in the slot to create mismatches against slower defenders. On the outside, Marion could have Williams and Moore move across the formation to use their ability to make contested catches in addition to their speed to create explosive plays to stretch the defense over the top.

With the weapons that Lewis has available to him on the perimeter, the Buffaloes could have an answer for almost any situation and could become one of the more dangerous offenses in the Big 12.

Tough Defensive Tests For Colorado’s Offense

While Colorado does seem to have a lot of potential on offense, there are several games where the Buffaloes' offense could be tested against solid defenses.

Colorado’s 2026 schedule includes five top 35 passing defenses from a season ago in Utah, UCF, Texas Tech, Northwestern, and Baylor. All five of these defenses allowed less than 195 passing yards per game in 2025 and could prove to be major tests for the Buffaloes' new look offense.

Colorado plays Northwestern, Baylor, Texas Tech, and Utah in four consecutive games with a bye between the matchups against Texas Tech and Utah. The game against UCF also comes in an interesting place, as it is the last game of the regular season for Colorado and could turn out to be a game the Buffaloes must win to become bowl eligible.

For Marion, this schedule allows him to prove that his offense can succeed with a young quarterback against great defenses. While this schedule does appear to be very tough for Colorado, the receiving core for the Buffaloes could be one of the best units on the entire roster and could be something that Colorado is able to lean on, especially with Lewis still building confidence as a younger quarterback.

So, heading into the 2026 season, the Buffaloes ability to generate easier throws for Lewis and use the deep receiver room that Colorado has could help him to not only build confidence as a quarterback, but potentially lead the Buffaloes to several wins and compete in what should be a very tough Big 12 conference.

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