Fantasy Football Preview: Josh Allen And Buffalo Bills Offense Could Put Up Big Numbers In 2020
After years of being stuck in positional purgatory, it seems the Buffalo Bills have finally found their franchise quarterback in third-year pro Josh Allen. While he’ll be looking to lead the Bills to an AFC title and beyond in 2020, fantasy owners may want to consider drafting the former Wyoming Cowboy to start on their own squads, according to Buffalo Rumblings.
“Look no further than the consensus quarterback rankings at ESPN.com to get an idea of what the expectations are like for Allen. Locked in at the eight spot, Allen comes in ranked higher than Tom Brady, Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers and Matthew Stafford. The only quarterback ranked higher than Allen from the 2018 draft class is Lamar Jackson, who was ranked as the top (ahead of Patrick Mahomes).”
That is some good company for Allen to be included with — or in most of these cases, projected ahead of. But it shouldn’t come as a surprise to Bills fans who have watched him continually progress as a player since entering the league as a first-round draft pick in 2018.
Buffalo Rumblings’ Anthony Marino said Allen is an attractive option at the QB1 position based not just on his passing potential, but for his ability to be a threat with the ball in his hand on the ground as well. The 24-year-old rushed for nine touchdowns last season while recording eight during his rookie campaign. At this point in his career, he has fully established himself as a dual-threat signal-caller, Marino said.
He did, however, note the possibility of Allen having less rushing opportunities in the red zone, as the team drafted Utah State running back Zack Moss in the third round this past April. As he is considered a strong downfield runner, the Bills are hoping Moss can contribute right away and complement the shifty style of second-year back Devin Singletary while allowing Allen to focus more on getting touchdowns with his arm instead of his legs.
Regardless of whether Allen shows a regression in his rushing numbers in 2020 or not, he is still expected to improve on his passing production after throwing for 3,089 yards and 20 scores in 2019. Now with his team’s acquisition of dynamic receiver Stefon Diggs, the potential for big stats from this young Bills offense exists even more.
“As one of the top route runners in the NFL, Diggs will add a new dimension to the Buffalo offense. A new number-one receiver should help Allen take another step as a passer this season, and this progression will be one of the top story lines for owners this season.”
The Bills offense will get their first shot to prove what they can do on September 13, when they take on divisional rival New York Jets in Orchard Park.
While Allen is trending up in the world of fantasy, other players are at risk for having down years after previously being the jewels of fantasy drafts in years prior.
