Most Valuable Bills: Gabriel Davis Projects as No. 16
That Gabriel Davis was able to thrive as a rookie wide receiver for the Buffalo Bills in 2020 could say it all about what kind of player they drafted in the fourth round out of Central Florida.
Nobody except first-team All-Pro Stefon Diggs caught more touchdown passes than Davis. Nobody except Diggs, second-team All Pro Cole Beasley and running back Devin Singletary caught more total passes. And nobody who caught more than one pass averaged more yards per reception than the 17.1 Davis produced.
Suffice to say Davis' stock is rising as the Bills approach 2021 with their best chance at a Super Bowl since the early 1990s.
Hence, Davis slots in at No. 16 in our day-by-day presentation of the 30 projected Most Valuable Bills of 2021 leading up to training camp.
Davis likely is headed for more production this season, which is a big reason behind Bleacher Report labeling him as the Bills' biggest potential breakout fantasy star.
"The Buffalo Bills swapped veteran wide receivers this offseason when Emmanuel Sanders took John Brown's roster spot," Brent Sobleski wrote in the report. "Sanders can be a significant part of the Bills offense, but he may have to move aside and allow second-year target Gabriel Davis more room to operate.
"As a rookie, Davis finished third on the team with 35 receptions for 599 yards.
"The sophomore target should be more than a vertical threat this fall, though he excels as a downfield target. According to Pro Football Focus, Davis led all rookies last season with five touchdowns of 20 or more yards downfield. More importantly, he didn't register a single drop on those targets.
"Stefon Diggs and Cole Beasley will get theirs within the offense. Sanders is a valuable veteran as well. Davis should force his way into more opportunities as his development continues."
Davis could be driven even more by the way last season ended. He suffered an ankle injury during the Bills' loss to Kansas City in the AFC Championship game. That limited him to just 16 snaps with the offense and no catches on three targets.
Look for the rapport between Davis and quarterback Josh Allen to grow and transform a very good working relationship into something outstanding.
Nick Fierro is the publisher of Bills Central. Check out the latest Bills news at www.si.com/nfl/bills and follow Fierro on Twitter at @NickFierro. Email to Nicky300@aol.com.
