Getty Dabriel Davis runs after making a catch against the New Orleans Saints.
The Buffalo Bills have one of the league’s best passing attacks this season, but one insider believes the team deserves some criticism for failing to properly utilize one of their talented young stars.
Gabriel Davis enjoyed a strong rookie season with the Bills in 2020, catching 35 passes for 599 yards and seven touchdowns and becoming one of quarterback Josh Allen’s most reliable red-zone targets. But Davis has seen his production drop this season, Making 24 receptions for 385 yards and four touchdowns through 13 games. One team insider believes it’s “criminal” that the Bills haven’t found a way to get him more involved with the offense this season.
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Drop in Targets for Davis
Joe DiBiase, the pregame host for the Buffalo Bills Radio Network, took to Twitter to call out the team for the lack of targets for Davis this season. DiBiase pointed out that Davis is outperforming All-Pro teammate Stefon Diggs on a per-target basis, yet the Bills and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll have not found a way to get more targets for Davis.
Some of the drop in production could come from the emergence of other targets for Allen and the Bills. In his rookie year, Davis was able to take on a larger role as veteran receiver John Brown struggled with injuries, but Brown’s departure last offseason, the addition of veteran Emmanuel Sanders and a sharp improvement for tight end Dawson Knox has kept Davis in a smaller role this year.
Gabriel Davis has made the most of his opportunities as of late
Since Week 10, the second year wideout has a 91.2 PFF grade👀
Daboll addressed the situation earlier this season, saying Davis would likely not get as many targets as his rookie season with so many other options for Allen.
“Brian Daboll says he still has full confidence in Gabriel Davis and knows he’ll produce when called upon, but he’s behind Stefon Diggs, Cole Beasley, and Emmanuel Sanders and that’s why he’s not as involved as some may have expected,” tweeted beat reporter Jon Scott. “Stats don’t tell everything he’s brought.”
Big Opportunity for Davis
There could be a chance for Davis to take on a bigger role over the final four games of the season. Sanders suffered a knee injury in the 33-27 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on December 12, and the team has listed him as week-to-week. Sanders is expected to miss the team’s home game against the Carolina Panthers on December 19, which could put Davis in line for more targets.
#Bills WR Emmanuel Sanders has ‘week-to-week’ injury. Details: t.co/EqKbh7d4du
Davis had one of his most efficient games of the season against the Buccaneers, catching five passes on eight targets — both season highs — for 43 yards and a touchdown. Davis was also on the field for 83% of the team’s offensive snaps. His previous highest output of the season came against the New York Jets, when he was on the field for 52% of the team’s snaps.
If Davis does have a bigger role against the Panthers, there’s a chance that his targets won’t be coming from Allen. The Bills quarterback suffered a foot injury against the Buccaneers and is listed as day-to-day. Bills head coach Sean McDermott sounded optimistic, but would not commit to whether Allen would be back to play against Carolina.
“We’re just going to take it one day at a time here and see where it goes,” McDermott said, via ESPN. “I talked to the medical team and he has a chance. I spoke with Josh as well and he’s in good spirits.”
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