The Bills bulked up their receiving corps by adding Amari Cooper ($5,800) before Week 7. In two games with the Bills, Cooper has yet to go off, and now he’s dealing with a wrist injury, which will keep him out of practice on Wednesday. If he ends up missing this week’s AFC East showdown with the Dolphins, Khalil Shakir ($5,900) and Keon Coleman ($5,400) will definitely get an upgrade, but how valuable will they be for fantasy football owners in Week 9? Let’s take a closer look.
The History
Even though he missed a game, Shakir has been the top receiver so far this season for the Bills. He leads the team with 36 catches and 421 receiving yards. His 36 catches have come at an amazingly efficient rate of 94.7%, since he has only needed 38 targets to reach that level. The rest of the Bills collectively have caught 109 passes on 176 targets for just a 61.9% conversion rate.
Shakir hauled in 9-of-10 targets last week for 107 yards and 22.9 fantasy points against the Seahawks, while Cooper only drew two targets and produced 1.3 fantasy points.
While he hasn’t been quite as heavily targeted as Shakir, Coleman has also been viable in fantasy the last few weeks. He has at least three catches in four of his last five games and posted 19.5 and 18.0 fantasy points in the last two weeks, respectively.
The Matchup
This week, the Bills take on the Dolphins for the second time this season. In their first meeting back in Week 2, Shakir hauled in five passes for 54 yards and 10.2 fantasy points, while Coleman was held without a catch. The rookie has stepped up his production since then, though, and should show much better in the rematch.
Even if Cooper plays, Shakir is the better option for fantasy purposes until Cooper shows he’s fully up to speed in the Bills’ offense. We know the big-play potential and high ceiling Cooper can bring, but Shakir has been extremely reliable for Josh Allen ($7,700).
If Cooper is out, though, his absence does make both Shakir and Coleman better plays, as there isn’t the possibility of Cooper breaking out. It raises the floor of both options despite a tough matchup in Miami.
TLDR
Shakir is a solid WR3 without Cooper with WR2 upside, while Coleman is a boom-or-bust play that makes a lot of sense as a FLEX option.
The Bills are six-point home favorites against the Dolphins, and Shakir looks like a solid option at +150 to score a touchdown based on his high volume of targets and efficiency. That play would only be stronger if Cooper is limited or out.
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