Gabe Davis is ready to be Buffalo’s No. 2 WR

With the offseason loss of Cole Beasley, and Emmanuel Sanders’ future still unknown, a glaring hole is left in the Buffalo receiving core.

Jamison Crowder was signed to relieve Beasley’s slot production (and the re-singing of Isaiah McKenzie), but that leaves the outside receiver position across from Diggs open for the taking. Certainly WR is going to be addressed in the draft this month, but I believe that the Bills don’t have to look far to find their guy.

I would think the guy that has the record for most TDs in a playoff game would be a good candidate. Wouldn’t you?

Third-year WR Gabriel Davis has shown flashes of excellence- elite hands, route-running, and ability to work the sideline – in his first two seasons as a Buffalo Bill. Is this the year that he is finally able to step up and be Buffalo’s true No. 2 WR?

While Diggs was being doubled often during the Bills’ AFC Divisional Round game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Davis was left to do a lot of the heavy lifting to stretch the ball downfield. In that game, he exploded for 8 receptions for 201 yards and 4 TDs. This is exactly what you need from your No. 2 WR. When your WR1 is being doubled all game long, you need that extra presence in there to step up and make big plays, and boy did Davis do so. A lot of people feel that this is the game that showed Davis’ worth and why he can step up in a big way this season.

Emmanuel Sanders went on NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football” on Monday with nothing but praise for Gabriel Davis – even saying that he’s going to be a pro-bowl WR this year.

This coming from a Super Bowl champion and a terrific WR himself in his prime. A man who played with him all of last year, practiced with him and taught him as well. If you think his words don’t carry any weight then I don’t know what else to tell you.

Davis had this response to Sanders’ kind words on Monday:

It’s not just the Kansas City Chiefs game that ascended Davis into the conversation of being a true No. 2 WR. He’s been making that case for the last two seasons. One could argue as well that if Davis doesn’t make those toe-dragging sideline receptions in the wild card game against the Colts two years ago, the Bills don’t win that game. In his rookie season, in a big spot, Davis came up with two huge plays, which ultimately gave the Bills the lead at the half.

In limited usage over his first two seasons, Davis has collected 70 total receptions for 1148 yards and 13 TDs – all on 125 targets. This is with Stefon Diggs and Cole Beasley having career years, as well as Dawson Knox stepping up to play a big role in the offense, and the addition of Emmanuel Sanders. With Sanders on the fence about his career right now, the torch has been passed to Davis to be a full-time No. 2 WR for the Bills.

Between the flashes of excellence that he’s shown on the biggest stage in football, and Sanders comparing him to elite WRs like Michael Thomas, Demaryius Thomas and Antonio Brown, that should tell you that he’s primed and ready to not just take the reins as the No. 2, but to break out this season.