Young talent headlines three players primed to break out in a big way for the Buffalo Bills in 2024

There were plenty of questions throughout the preseason for the Buffalo Bills, but there were also some bright spots. Considering the starters didn't play very much, most things for Bills to get excited about likely come from the practice reports, not the in-game action, but there are still plenty of things to look forward to.

With the preseason now behind us and the regular season opener firmly in front of us, here are three players primed for a great season.

Khalil Shakir, wide receiver

I will take absolutely every opportunity to continue to advocate for Khalil Shakir , Buffalo's WR1, having a massive breakout season in 2024. I've already detailed the math behind why I believe Shakir is in store for a 1,000 receiving yard season, and while expecting his yard per target efficiency to continue would be unfair to him, the volume that he'll receive and his ability after the catch continue to point to him being a focal point of this offense.

Josh Allen had this to say about Shakir on the Green Light podcast with Chris Long:

"When you talk about catch rate, I think he was number one last year? But anyways, he's got like the best catch percentage. You watch anything that he does when he doesn't even have the ball, he's flying to the ball, he's making an extra block, he's following it in case someone fumbles, he's running the influence to get someone open behind him – he does things the right way, and he's so fun to throw to," Allen said.

"When you see the ball in his hands, you talk about the Steelers game last year, cutting up through the defense and scoring in the playoff game, and I'm excited to see him step up into a bigger role in this offense. We haven't asked him to do a whole lot over the last couple years – over the second half of the year, we incorporated him more into our offense, and you saw what we did. So, I'm very, very excited about his season coming up."

That's good enough for me.

Greg Rousseau, defensive end

Pass rush is going to need to get home this year, especially with questions at the safety position and potential communication kinks at linebacker. Greg Rousseau , who recently had this fifth year option picked up, is primed and ready to emerge into a very solid pass rusher.

In the second preseason game, Rousseau was absolutely dominant against the Pittsburgh starting offensive line, living the backfield and logging 2.5 sacks in the first handful of drives. Rousseau, a 2021 1st round draft pick by the Bills, needs to emerge as a go-to option in obvious passing situations, and continue to display the motor, length, and athleticism that he did in the Pittsburgh game to develop into an elite edge. He has the tools, and he's primed to put it all together in his fourth season.

Ray Davis, running back

We know James Cook is the clear cut lead running back, but rookie fourth round draft pick Ray Davis out of Kentucky has emerged as the obvious second option on the ground. Davis is stout – he checked in at 5'8" 211 lbs at the NFL Scouting Combine – but has plenty of burst and wiggle. He's capable of making people miss, running them over, and contributing out of the backfield in the passing game. Importantly, he's a willing and capable pass blocker.

Davis looked good in his preseason opportunities, especially in the second game against Pittsburgh, where he totaled 58 rushing yards on only eight attempts, including a long of 19 yards. He garnered praise from head coach Sean McDermott following the game.

"Ray was making some big time runs. They were physical. He was physical and almost looking for contact. Squaring his pads up to the line of scrimmage - I respect that," McDermott said.

Davis is going to have a notable role on this offense as a powerful running back that can take a bit of the load off of Cook, helping Buffalo form a strong 1-2 punch out of the backfield.

Related: Bills roster cuts tracker 2024: Here is every move Buffalo has made on their way to trim down to 53 players

Follow along all season for all the latest Buffalo Bills news. You can also find me on X @JonHelmkamp .