Back in April, the Buffalo Bills took a wide receiver out of Boise State in the fifth round, without much fanfare.
That receiver was one of the most productive pass-catchers in the program’s history, racking up over 1,100 yards and seven touchdowns last season alone.
That receiver was Khalil Shakir, and he has officially arrived in Buffalo.
With multiple injuries piling up at the receiver position for the Bills, Shakir was forced into starting action as the team’s No. 3 target. He took advantage of those missing players, becoming one of Josh Allen’s most targeted options against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
His three catches on five targets landed him 75 yards, including a huge touchdown where he snatched a fluttering ball from Allen, bounced off a defender, and burst into the end zone:
First career touchdown for @king_khalil2!
📺: @NFLonCBS pic.twitter.com/TP3y0PN1rl
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) October 9, 2022
It was an impressive performance from the rookie, who made the most of his expanded role. He answered the call from head coach Sean McDermott on Sunday, and it’ll be exciting to see if he can build on this success, drawing more targets from Allen even after the other receivers get healthy again.