Bills Central

Buffalo Bills' WR deserves more targets, could help ignite struggling passing game

A former undrafted free agent has shined when given opportunities this season.
Alex Brasky|
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Tyrell Shavers (14) leaps to catch a thirty-two yard pass thrown by quarterback Josh Allen (not pictured) against Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell (27) during the third quarter at Highmark Stadium.
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Tyrell Shavers (14) leaps to catch a thirty-two yard pass thrown by quarterback Josh Allen (not pictured) against Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell (27) during the third quarter at Highmark Stadium. | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

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It’s about time Tyrell Shavers got his due.

The former undrafted free agent has finally found a full-time spot on the Buffalo Bills’ 53-man roster, but based upon his performance in limited chances this year, he deserves more run than he’s gotten throughout the regular season.

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Tyrell Shavers
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Tyrell Shavers (14) reacts after catching a thirty-two yard pass thrown by quarterback Josh Allen (not pictured) against the Philadelphia Eagles during the third quarter at Highmark Stadium. | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Big-play potential

Shavers has displayed deep-threat ability this year, with four catches of his 15 receptions this season going for 20-plus yards, including a 32-yard grab against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. Shavers went up to get a contested catch to record the downfield reception, as he has a few other times when given the chance throughout the 2025 campaign.

The Bills’ WR is averaging an impressive 10.7 yards per target this season, which is second-best on the team, trailing only tight end Dalton Kincaid (11.4). His 16.3 yards per reception is first on the team by a pass catcher with at least seven receptions.

The problem is, despite being on the field for 41% of the team’s offensive snaps, which is third-most among the team’s WR group, he has seen only 23 targets on the year. That is eighth-most on the team, behind running back Ty Johnson.

For a team that has been desperate for added deep threats this season, Shavers could very well be the option the Bills have been looking for all year. With the playoffs coming up quickly, it’s time they turned him loose moving forward.

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Tyrell Shavers
Buffalo Bills wide receiver Tyrell Shavers (14) catches a thirty-two yard pass thrown by quarterback Josh Allen (not pictured) against Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell (27) during the third quarter at Highmark Stadium. | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

New look

Along with Shavers’ big catch, Brandin Cooks recorded a breakthrough effort against the Eagles. The midseason addition finished the win with 101 yards receiving, his most in a single game since Week 10 of the 2023 season.

It had been a rough start for Cooks with the Bills up until that point, as he had recorded a couple of critical drops in his first few games with the team. But what he showed on Sunday was a consistent ability to get open over the top, recording a 50-yard as well as a 36-yard reception along the way.

As the Bills approach the season’s final stretch, it would behoove them to start targeting the downfield duo of Cooks and Shavers a bit more in the passing game in hopes of opening things up and creating more big plays through the air.

What Khalil Shakir offers in the screen game is all well and good. And when Kincaid is on the field, his big-play ability is second to none. But as far as the wide receiver corps is concerned, the Bills need more. And they may have found it with the combination of Cooks and Shavers.

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Alex Brasky
ALEX BRASKY

Alex Brasky is editor of Bills Digest and host of the Buffalo Pregame podcast. He has been on the Bills beat the past six seasons and now joins Sports Illustrated hoping to expand his coverage of Buffalo’s favorite football team.

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