Bills WR Khalil Shakir Surprisingly Leads NFL in Critical Stat

Year after year, there’s conversation about the Buffalo Bills’ need for wide receiver help. Despite still looking for a true WR1 they can rely on, the Bills continue to put up elite offensive numbers and one of the key pieces for the past couple of seasons has also been one of the more overlooked players.

Khalil Shakir has led Buffalo in receptions and receiving yardage the past two seasons, but still doesn’t get the credit he deserves. In 2024, Shakir had 76 receptions for 821 yards and in 2025, he had 72 catches for 719 yards.

This season, he’s again being overlooked due to the addition of DJ Moore, as well as the performance of Keon Coleman. Even Dalton Kincaid is getting plenty of attention, while Shakir just quietly goes about his job.

Despite being overshadowed, Shakir enters Week 5 tied for the team lead with 15 catches. He hasn’t made the flashy plays, which is why he’s fourth in yardage, behind Kincaid, Coleman, and Moore, but Shakir is still serving as one of Josh Allen’s most trusted targets.

Buffalo Bills WR Khalil Shakir runs the ball during the second quarter against the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Shakir is also the one creating the most separation. In fact, he’s not just creating more space than any Buffalo wideout, but through four games, Shakir surprisingly leads the NFL in yards of separation.

According to Gridiron Stats and Info, Shakir is getting roughly 4.5 yards of separation per route. That’s slightly above Jaylen Waddle and Kalif Raymond, who are tied for second with 4.2 yards of separation.

As a slot receiver, Shakir is given a healthy cushion, which Gridiron has at around 7.1 yards. While that seems like a lot, he’s still given less space to operate than both Waddle and Raymond, and is still making the most of his routes.

Khalil Shakir should see more targets

Buffalo Bills WR Khalil Shakir runs after making a catch during the second quarter against the New England Patriots. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

At this point, the only question is why Shakir isn’t seeing more targets. He does lead the team with 23 targets, but that comes with a caveat. Moore has missed portions of two of their games with a shoulder injury and Coleman is often the WR3, except for when Moore is out.

Shakir hasn’t typically been a red zone weapon and he doesn’t stretch the field, but he’s averaging 11.6 yards per reception. There’s nothing at all wrong with that average, and with him creating plenty of space, it seems he should be featured more often than he has been. Perhaps leaning on him in Week 5 against the Los Angeles Rams will be key, especially since the offense has been in a slump the past two weeks.

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