Week 3 Fantasy Football Start 'Em & Sit 'Em: Keon Coleman Vs. Khalil Shakir
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The Buffalo Bills are looking to build on a 2-0 start to the new season, matching up against the Miami Dolphins on Thursday Night Football. The Bills are coming off a dominant 30-10 win over the New York Jets, in a matchup that heavily featured Buffalo’s rushing attack. Josh Allen and the Bills’ passing attack was overshadowed by a 132-yard, two-touchdown day from James Cook, leaving fantasy owners disappointed.
Bills wideouts Keon Coleman and Khalil Shakir sputtered versus New York’s secondary, catching a combined four passes for 38 yards without a touchdown.
Entering Week 3, fantasy owners could be wondering who the safest option in the Bills receiving group is between Shakir and Coleman. Let’s look at who makes the more favorable case to start in fantasy versus Miami on Thursday.
The Case For Keon Coleman
Coleman entered Week 2 as WR2 in fantasy in PPR format, following an eight-catch, 112-yard performance versus the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1. He also found the endzone for a crucial touchdown in the fourth quarter. Though he didn’t manage to build on a stellar showing in a tough matchup versus Sauce Gardner in Week 2, I don’t think his production in the opener was ‘fluke-y’.
Coleman emerged as Josh Allen’s top target, finishing the game with a team-high 11 targets. In a matchup versus a lowly Dolphins secondary, the second-year wideout could replicate similar production to his Week 1 stat-line.
The Case Against Coleman
Fantasy owners would’ve liked to see a more productive day from Coleman in Week 2. His streaky display gives reason to question the sustainability of his production. Coleman caught just three passes for 26 yards, and was only targeted three times.
The crowded nature of Buffalo’s offense also serves as an argument against Coleman. Cook emerged as the dominant fantasy scorer in Week 2, presenting greater volatility to the argument to start Coleman.
The Case For Khalil Shakir
Shakir is coming off a career year in 2024, during which he saw 100 targets from Allen, catching 76 of them for 821 yards and four touchdowns. He’s developed into a reliable target for the reigning MVP and is now the veteran of the receiving group. The matchup versus Miami also plays into Shakir’s favor from a fantasy production perspective.
Shakir is likely to see greater volume in Buffalo’s passing attack as the season progresses, and has a history of hauling in the majority of the targets he sees. If Coleman shows similar drop issues from his rookie season, Allen could look Shakir’s way with greater frequency.
The Case Against Shakir
Coleman has emerged as an additional receiving threat near the endzone for 50-50 passes. Between Coleman, tight end Dalton Kincaid, Allen and Cook, Shakir is the odd man out near the goal line in Buffalo’s offense.
If Week 1 is an indication of Buffalo’s usage of their receiving corps in big games, Coleman could also be taking over as the No. 1 option before our eyes. It will be worth noting the discrepancy between targets in the Bills’ passing game versus a lackluster Dolphins defense.
The Final Verdict: Keon Coleman Vs. Khalil Shakir
In a matchup that could favor big plays through the air, I’m going to start Coleman over Shakir for this Week 3 matchup. Through two games, Miami’s defense ranks second in the NFL in points allowed and eighth in passing yards allowed.
This makes me think Coleman will see several opportunities for chunk plays and will certainly be one of Allen’s top targets near the goal line. This week’s matchup versus the Dolphins could be the perfect opportunity for Coleman to rebound.
Keon Coleman Preseason Analysis
Senior Fantasy Expert Shawn Childs had this to say about Coleman prior to the season:
Coleman brings a jump-ball skill set with some value in the open field. His speed (4.6 40-yard dash) limits his range to test a defense. He’ll win his share of fades at the goal line and offer sneaky value vs. zone defense. Coleman must prove his worth when pressed at the line of scrimmage, but he had many wins in college when tested in tight coverage. Think Marquise Colston and Mike Evans with less speed and a weaker overall resume. He must improve his release and route running to command more targets.
Coleman missed four midseason games with a wrist injury. His catch rate (50.9) was extremely low, but the Bills used him as a deep threat (19.2 yards per catch, 12 catches of 20 yards or more, and four long bombs). He finished one catch or fewer in nine of his 16 games, showcasing his downside risk. His two tease showings (4/125 and 5/70/1) came in back-to-back starts before his injury.
Dion Dawkins (Bills’ Starting Offensive Tackle) gave Coleman a glowing review this week, praising his hard work and commitment to the team. His overall message was that he was ready to make a massive step forward this year, and the Bills’ passing game needs a star to push them to the next level in their quest to win a Super Bowl. Over the past week, Coleman has had an ADP of 104 with a WR50 ranking.
Let's see if Coleman can return to his Week 1 form and dominate as he did against the Ravens in Week 1.
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Ethen Hutton is a MLB, WNBA, College, and Fantasy contributor at On SI. Previously, he's covered the NBA, WNBA and NFL for Sportskeeda. Hutton is also a passionate fantasy football player and an immense music lover.