The Buffalo Bills are reportedly sending WR Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans for a second-round pick in 2025. This felt like a inevitable move that has been building up over the past few seasons. As a result, the Bills now have a void atop the wide receiver depth chart. Fortunately, they’ll be able to fill said void via the 2024 NFL Draft and a very, very deep WR class. Let’s look at who the Bills can target in the draft and how they might fit into the current WRs on the roster.
Stefon Diggs trade fallout
Bills WR targets in draft
Adonai Mitchell, Texas
You’ll see some mock drafts with the Bills taking the Longhorns wideout late in the first round. That’s assuming WRs ahead of Mitchell go beforehand, that list includes Brian Thomas Jr., Rome Odunze, Malik Nabers and Marvin Harrison Jr. If the Bills can snag anyone from that group, there’s a good chance they can develop into a strong WR1 in the NFL. Mitchell has a good combination of size, speed and athleticism. It may be helpful for QB Josh Allen to have a more well-rounded top wideout. Diggs is still a great WR but was losing more deep battles this season. Mitchell has the size to go up and catch those jump balls from Allen.
Ladd McConkey, Georgia
Apparently per reports McConkey has met with the Bills a few times during the combine and pre-draft process. So there’s a chance he’s the guy the Bills will target with the No. 28 pick. He also may be the most logical pick because all the other WRs before him have been taken. McConkey feels like a loss if he’s the pick/target for Buffalo. There are a lot of question marks and the other wideouts project with higher ceilings. McConkey could end up being an above average WR2 as a possession guy. It doesn’t feel like he can be a legit WR1.
Bills trade up to grab a top wideout
Now that the Bills have some picks to play around with, might Brandon Beane look to move up in the first round to secure either Nabers or Odunze? The Washington WR appears to make more sense. It’s unlikely a team in position to grab Harrison or Nabers would allow the Bills to move up and take them. There’s a scenario in which Thomas drops but he’s being projected in the middle of the first round. The Bills’ pick isn’t until 28 in the first. Buffalo would need to move pick No. 28 and either pick No. 60 in the second round in 2024 or a 2025 pick to jump up. It’s not a bad idea, however. Buffalo has few holes on the roster and would be pretty set at WR.
Internal options?
Khalil Shakir and Curtis Samuel are the other WRs on the roster at the moment. Shakir has a lot of upside but likely isn’t ready to take the next step and be “the guy” in Buffalo. With that said, expect Shakir to be heavily involved as a WR2 behind whoever the Bills decide to draft. It also could develop into a 1A-1B situation depending on how long it takes for the rookie to acclimate to the NFL. Samuel is also only 27 years old and has plenty left in the tank. He’s got some experience as a top wide receiver with Carolina.
There’s also Justin Shorter, who was selected in the fifth round in 2023 but missed all of his rookie season. Technically, Mack Hollins, KJ Hamler and Andy Isabella are also on the roster. None of those names should be anything more than depth or a WR4 or lower by the time the 2024 regular season gets going. Maybe if Shorter can bounce back healthy, he could carve out a role in the offense. But expect it to be the rookie first-rounder, Shakir, Samuel and TE Dalton Kincaid.
Fantasy football take
Allen has thrown for well over 4,000 yards in each of the past four seasons. So assuming he does that again, there’s a lot of targets, catches and receiving yards to go around. Whoever the Bills land in the draft will be a popular fantasy football target, both in dynasty and season-long. Shakir and Samuel also have good fantasy football value as sleeper picks as well as Kincaid, who is coming off a stellar rookie season.
