2019 Record and Finish
The Buffalo Bills had a disappointing end to an otherwise impressive 2019 campaign. They finished with a 10-6 record, securing a Wild Card spot. Wild Card weekend would end up being disappointing, with the Bills choking away a 22-19 overtime loss to the Texans. However, the 2019 season put the Bills on the map for 2020. With Tom Brady departing for Tampa Bay, the AFC East is now as wide open as ever.
Returning Starters
Offense: 7
Defense: 8
Key Additions
WR Stefon Diggs
DT Vernon Butler
DE Mario Addison
LB A.J Klein
RB Zack Moss (draft)
DE AJ Epenesa (draft)
Buffalo Bills season outlook
As mentioned before, the AFC East is as wide-open as ever. Seeing this, the Bills went out and got another big weapon for QB Josh Allen, trading for star WR Stefon Diggs. Allen is coming off a season where he threw for 3,089 yards, 20 TD, and just 9 INT. His completion percentage jumped from 52.8% to 58.8%. Much of this has to do with there being conservative play-calling, but Allen did look a lot more comfortable in the pocket. Pairing that with 510 yards rushing and nine more touchdowns and there is potential for an MVP-level season for Allen.
Diggs joins a receiving core that was last season led by John Brown, who had a career-best 72 catches for 1,060 yards. Pairing this with slot option Cole Beasley and beast TE Dawson Knox, and Allen has a bunch of weapons to air it out to. In the backfield, sure-handed Devin Singletary is the starter, with rookie RB Zack Moss looking to be a bull running in between the tackles. TJ Yeldon provides a thrid-stringer with veteran NFL experience.
The real strong suit for the Bills last season, and really the last few seasons, has been their defense. Buffalo finished third in total defense, fourth against the pass, and 10th in rush defense. Led by Tre White in the secondary and young stars Tremaine Edmunds and Matt Milano in the linebacking core, the Bills play all three levels well. One aspect the team looked to improve this offseason was their pass rush, which ranked 14th in QB hurry percentage, 11th in sacks, and 21st in QB knockdowns. They drafted DE AJ Espenesa and signed DE Mario Addison to help in this department. DT Harrison Philips is also back after a torn ACL ended his 2019 campaign early.
This team has all the pieces to not only win the AFC East but to make some noise in the playoffs as well.
Buffalo Bills Win Total (Over/Under)
Most gambling websites have the Bills at 9 wins. In my personal picks, I have them going 10-6, pushing 11-5 if everything works out. The Bills went 10-6 last season, and yes that was with an easier schedule, but they bring in Diggs paired with what should be another leap in production from Josh Allen, and I like their odds. Take the over here.
Fantasy Player to Watch: Devin Singletary
With the departure of Frank Gore to the Jets, Singletary looks to take on more of the load in 2020. He is a great option in PPR leagues, making 29 catches for 194 yards in just eight starts last year. He also added 775 yards rushing and two touchdowns. The drafting of Zack Moss may take some carries away from Singletary, but I still think he is a viable fantasy option as an RB2. Although Singletary did struggle at times with fumbles, if he can figure out how to hold onto the ball, he can be a legit fantasy star going forward.
