2019 Summary
Record: 10-6 (2nd in AFC East)
2019 Offensive Points-Per-Game: 19.6 (23rd)
2019 Total Defense-adjusted Value Over Average: 2.7% (13th)
The Buffalo Bills were largely a surprise in 2019, clinching a playoff spot for the second time in three years. Josh Allen made improvements as a sophomore, bettering his completion percentage, touchdown to interception ratio, and his yards-per-attempt. Devin Singletary finished the year strong, topping 70 all-purpose yards in six of his final eight games. John Brown, while hardly a game-changer in fantasy, provided owners with stability, topping 50 receiving yards in each of the first 11 games. He finished as WR15 in PPR leagues.
Major additions
- CB, Josh Norman
- DE, Mario Addison
- DT, Quinton Jefferson
- DT, Vernon Butler
- OLB, A.J. Klein
- DE, A.J. Epenesa
- WR, Gabriel Davis
- QB, Jake Fromm
- RB, Zack Moss
- WR, Stefon Diggs
Major subtractions
- RB, Frank Gore
- DE, Shaq Lawson
- DT, Jordan Phillips
- CB, Kevin Johnson
- LB, Lorenzo Alexander
4 major storylines for 2020
How will Stefon Diggs adjust to Buffalo?
A disgruntled Diggs was finally dealt by the Minnesota Vikings to the Bills this offseason. Although the Bills weren’t necessarily a pass-first offense in 2019, they did pass more than the Vikings. Minnesota averaged 29.2 pass attempts per game last season, while Buffalo averaged 33 pass attempts per game. There are two main questions surrounding Diggs’ fantasy prospects: Can he get on the same page as Allen in an altered offseason? And can he perform at an elite level with Allen under center? I say he does.
Can Josh Allen continue to improve?
As mentioned earlier, Allen made some steady improvements as a passer. It’s clear, though, that Allen will have to take another step forward in his development to cement himself as one of the game’s top passers. In fantasy football, his value derives from his rushing abilities. For a second-straight season, he topped 500 yards on the ground and added nine touchdowns. The addition of Diggs should only help his passing totals, and his rushing success will keep him as a top-7 option at the position.
Is Zack Moss the new Frank Gore?
I’d expect Moss to operate in a very similar capacity to Gore nearing the end of the 2019 season. Over Gore’s final six games of the season, he averaged 10 touches per game. That was a fairly stark downtick from the 13.2 touches he received over the first nine games of the year. Singletary really grabbed ahold of the job down the stretch, and I’d expect him to start the year seeing a comparable workload.
Can John Brown stay fantasy-relevant?
The addition of Diggs certainly hampers Brown’s chances of finishing within the top-15 at WR in fantasy again. Brown should remain fantasy-relevant, but he’ll likely finish the season as a mid-range WR3. The Bills just won’t pass the ball enough to sustain two top-25 WRs in fantasy football, especially with Cole Beasley and Dawson Knox likely staying involved.
Sleeper: Zack Moss
Moss is a really appealing option at running back late in your fantasy draft. The Bills trotted out a running back committee all of 2019, and with Gore gone, Moss should step into his role. Although Gore, 37, wasn’t able to turn his 179 touches into much (699 all-purpose yards), Moss seems like a safe bet to be much more efficient. As mentioned earlier, I expect Buffalo to lean on Singletary more in 2020, but Moss, who was Pro Football Focus’ No. 2 running back prospect, can impress early on, there’s a possibility he could command more touches.
Bust: Devin Singletary
Let me just make one thing clear: I like Singletary and think he’s an O.K. selection given his current ADP. There are really no Bills players being selected egregiously higher than their ADP, but there is some risk with Singletary. The selection of Moss ensures that he will split the workload. Singletary’s impressive rookie performance has surely earned him some credit with the coaching staff, but if he is slow to start the year and Moss runs well, there’s a possibility that Singletary could become the 1B in this rushing attack.
Bills Players in Rally Towel’s Top-200 Fantasy Football Rankings
45. WR, Stefon Diggs
58. RB, Devin Singletary
80. QB, Josh Allen
90. WR, John Brown
125. RB, Zack Moss
167. DEF, Bills
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