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The Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills have had many tight shootouts over the years. With Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen, there are always going to be the constant favorites that receive the bulk of the targets. Easily, Travis Kelce for Kansas City and Stefon Diggs for Buffalo are the main go-to guys for each passer. But as this season has gone on, we have seen younger pieces begin to separate themselves for each team. Two rookies, Rashee Rice of the Chiefs and Dalton Kincaid of the Bills, have begun to build a meaningful rapport with their respective passer. But on Sunday in the AFC Divisional Round, will either the Chiefs or the Bills have any depth pieces step up in the passing game?
Through the air, Kansas City has largely lived and died with what production they can get from Kelce or Rice. Beyond that, it has been hit or miss to seeing other depth pieces step up for the Chiefs offense. In Buffalo, there have been times where Diggs has been more bottled up than usual, production-wise. Yet, there appears to be a revolving door on who comes through among the rest of the pass catching group for the Bills.
Which names and depth pieces may be worth monitoring the most between both the Chiefs and the Bills? Who is most likely to stand out if called upon from those groups? Let’s kick it off.
Shakir Beginning To Shine
In his second season with the Bills, Khalil Shakir has begun to stand out late in this season. The Boise State product is incredibly shifty after the catch. That has led to highlight-reel plays, including his touchdown late in last week’s Wild Card win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Buffalo has begun to utilize him out of the slot and in the intermediate to deep passing game. As a result, Shakir is beginning to shine with seemingly most of his opportunities.
The key for Kansas City will be to make sharp tackles immediately in space. Outside of his shiftiness, Shakir can surprise opponents with his ability to hit a second gear after the catch. Given his lack of consistent playing time, Shakir is also deceptive with his breaks during routes and with his tempo. The Chiefs will have to be alert that he could get fed substantially in crucial moments.
If Active, Can Davis Be A Threat?
Time will tell if Gabe Davis is back for the Bills offense on Sunday. He left the regular season finale and missed last week’s Wild Card win with a knee injury. Entering Friday, Davis had not participated in practice on either Wednesday or Thursday.
While he is seen as the de facto WR2 for the Bills offense, Davis can turn into more of a depth piece at times for Buffalo. It is simply all or nothing for his production week-to-week. If he is a threat, Davis is usually hauling in passes down the field and creating explosive plays. However, this pass catcher can become incredibly snakebit by drops or failing to get open from time-to-time.
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Can he be a threat if healthy enough on Sunday? The Chiefs did not perform well against him a couple of years ago in the AFC Divisional Round. But with a more physical secondary, it will be up to Davis to create necessary separation, if active. That is something that can be up-and-down from the larger Bills pass catcher.
Watch For Watson
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If you are looking for one of the Chiefs depth pieces to step up, Justin Watson has a fascinating case. We have seen how much Mahomes trusts Watson in particular situations. His ability to connect with Mahomes down the field on money downs has been as good as anyone the last couple of years, especially this season. When Watson can get on top of a defensive back, he can impress with his ball tracking ability and success at high-pointing the football.
A great amount of Watson’s catches have come in the deep passing game this season. Buffalo has been inconsistent when defending those attempts this season. If Mahomes is able to find soft spots towards the outside perimeters, Watson may be the depth piece that he is counting on the most.
Can MVS Or Hardman Make Impact?
Can either of Marquez Valdes-Scantling or Mecole Hardman make an impact on Sunday? MVS had some solid moments throughout various points last season, including the AFC Championship Game. But obviously, this year has been anything but impressive for the speedy MVS. On the other hand, Mecole Hardman returned to the team via trade in the middle of the regular season after signing with the New York Jets this past offseason.
Hardman received a few chances in last week’s Wild Card win over the Miami Dolphins. But seemingly, every target was a wasted chance when Mahomes gave him an opportunity down the field. And quite simply, Valdes-Scantling’s same chances have begun to decrease even further as the playoffs have started.
Depending on the game script or the situation, either of these two could have to step up for the Chiefs offense. If it is a tight game where Kansas City needs a key play, can Valdes-Scantling or Hardman make a possible impact as depth pieces?
Be on the lookout for more FPC Chiefs articles and analysis throughout the coming days. For more great sports and NFL content, stay tuned to Full Press Coverage.
– Braden Holecek is the Kansas City Chiefs managing editor for Full Press Coverage. He covers the NFL. Like and follow on Follow @ebearcat9//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js Follow @FPC_Chiefs//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js and Facebook.