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Bills 2021 NFL Preview: Buffalo 2020 Recap, 2021 Team Outlook For Fantasy Football & Betting

Frank AmmiranteSenior Sports Writer
@FAmmiranteTFJ
Last Updated: Jul 14, 2023

Here’s The Game Day’s Buffalo Bills 2021 NFL Preview: 2020 Recap, Team 2021 Outlook, 2021 Betting Tips and 2021 Fantasy Football Outlook.

Bills 2021 NFL Preview: Buffalo 2020 Recap, 2021 Team Outlook For Fantasy Football & Betting

Buffalo Bills 2020 Recap

  • Final record: 13-3 (7-1 Home/6-2 Away)
  • Division regular-season finish: 1st
  • Result: Lost in 2020-2021 AFC Championship Game

The Buffalo Bills had a breakout season, winning the AFC East for the first time since 1995 before losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game. The Bills remain Super Bowl 56 contenders, led by Josh Allen, who has ascended to superstar status.


2021 Buffalo Bills Offseason Changes

Buffalo Bills 2021 Offseason Departures

  • WR John Brown
  • WR Andre Roberts
  • OG Brian Winters
  • DT Quinton Jefferson
  • TE Tyler Kroft

Buffalo Bills 2021 Free-Agency/Offseason Additions

  • WR Emmanuel Sanders
  • TE Jacob Hollister
  • QB Mitch Trubisky
  • RB Matt Breida

Buffalo Bills 2021 NFL Draft Picks

  • DE Gregory Rousseau, Miami (Round 1, Pick 30)
  • DE Carlos Basham Jr., Wake Forest (Round 2, Pick 61)
  • OT Spencer Brown, Northern Iowa (Round 3, Pick 93)
  • OT Tommy Doyle, Miami (OH) (Round 5, Pick 161)
  • WR Marquez Stevenson, Houston (Round 6, Pick 203)
  • OG Jack Anderson, Texas Tech (Round 7, Pick 236)

Buffalo Bills 2021 Preview & Outlook

The Bills offense really took off in 2020, as quarterback Josh Allen took his game to the next level. Wide receiver Stefon Diggs turned in a massive season and established himself as one of the best at his position. The team replaced deep threat John Brown with dependable veteran Emmanuel Sanders to join a pass-catching group that also includes Cole Beasley as well as promising sophomore Gabriel Davis. We can expect the Bills to continue to function as a pass-heavy offense, as they did not address running back in the draft or free agency, leaving Zack Moss and Devin Singletary as the committee.

The Bills finished 12th in overall DVOA (12th vs. pass, 17th vs. run) on defense. They smartly addressed their pass rush in the draft, using their first two picks on edge rushers Gregory Rousseau and Carlos Basham Jr.

Like the Chiefs, the Bills just need their defense to hold their own against the pass, as this offense is going to force opponents to air it out to keep pace. Cornerback Tre’davious White remains a stud, locking down opposing wideouts on the perimeter. The team also has other solid pieces like Jerry Hughes, Matt Milano, Ed Oliver, and Tremaine Edmunds.

Head coach Sean McDermott and defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier are good defensive coaches, so expect improvement from the defense this season. Offensive coordinator Brian Daboll was a hot coaching candidate, but he decided to remain in Buffalo.

This is absolutely massive for this offense, as Daboll was instrumental in helping Allen dramatically improve as a passer. The Bills have one of the best coaching staffs in football, so keeping it intact bodes well for the team’s 2021 outlook.

The AFC East definitely improved this offseason:

  • The Miami Dolphins added a ton of speed to their offense with wideouts Will Fuller and Jaylen Waddle.
  • The New England Patriots were major players in free agency, signing tight ends Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith; edge rusher Matthew Judon; and other talented players.
  • The New York Jets have a new franchise quarterback in Zach Wilson along with an improved coaching staff led by Robert Saleh.

This AFC East division should be much tougher in 2021. The Bills should win it, but it won’t be as easy as last year.

Bills 2021 NFL Preview: Buffalo 2020 Recap, 2021 Team Outlook For Fantasy Football & Betting

Buffalo Bills WR Stefon Diggs (14), shown here celebrating a touchdown in last year’s playoffs, remains part of one of the league’s best QB-WR combos with Josh Allen. (Image: USA TODAY Sports)


Buffalo Bills 2021 Fantasy Football Tips

Josh Allen (QB2) and Stefon Diggs (WR3) became one of the best duos in football, ranking near the top at their respective positions in fantasy points per game. Expect more of the same from these two with the Bills remaining as a pass-heavy offense.

New addition Emmanuel Sanders will take on the John Brown role, putting him in play on the WR3/4 fringe, while Cole Beasley is a risky WR4 in PPR leagues considering that he might not play due to the NFL’s policy on vaccination against COVID-19. If Beasley doesn’t play, this is good news for Sanders. Gabriel Davis needs to surpass Sanders on the depth chart in order to have consistent fantasy value. We can consider him an upside WR5 to target later in your fantasy football drafts.

This running game is a situation to avoid. Zack Moss (RB47) had an underwhelming rookie season, while Devin Singletary (RB38) did not take advantage of an increased workload when Moss missed time. The Bills passed the ball 63% of the time in neutral game-scripts and it’s unlikely that changes much in 2021. Josh Allen also tends to vulture some touchdowns in the red-zone, limiting the scoring upside of each of these backs.

Even if one of them were to miss time, it’s tough to trust them as anything more than a FLEX with the way this offense operates. The best strategy would be to wait on this backfield and just target whoever drops further in your fantasy football draft.


Buffalo Bills 2021 NFL Futures Bet Tips

Buffalo Bills 2021 Futures Bet odds and lines used in our Bills 2021 Preview are provided courtesy of BetMGM. BetMGM has a welcome offer for a Risk-Free Bet of up to $600. Use promo code THEGAMEDAY or click here to sign up for a new account.

Bills to win Super Bowl 56 (+1200) at BetMGM

The Bills are currently tied for third with the Ravens for Super Bowl 56 odds. This is a team coming off a 13-win season, led by an improving franchise quarterback with continuity on the coaching staff. The defense should get better because of the coaching as well as the rookie edge-rushers from this year’s 2021 NFL Draft class.

While the division is improved, the Bills are still the heavy favorites with the outside shot at securing a first-round bye. A Super Bowl win is firmly within the realm of possibilities for this team.

Josh Allen to Win 2021-2022 NFL MVP Award (+1200) at BetMGM

Josh Allen came close to winning MVP this past season, throwing for 4,544 yards with 37 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He should be able to provide more elite production with offensive coordinator Brian Daboll returning for another season as well as the addition of Emmanuel Sanders.

Allen has the third-highest odds for MVP, but the value is still there to make this a solid bet. The Bills should be able to rack up double-digit wins with a chance at the best record in the NFL, so Allen to win MVP looks good.

Buffalo Bills OVER 11 Regular-Season Wins (-110) at BetMGM

The Bills should be able to easily eclipse this total in 2021, considering that they won 13 games last year and this year they’ll have an extra game. The continuity throughout the roster and coaching staff is huge, especially since the Patriots and Jets have really transformed their personnel. The Bills should be able to get off to a strong start and win 11-12 games this season. While it’s a bit pricey, it’s still worth it because I’m confident that the Bills go over this number.

Author

Frank Ammirante

Frank Ammirante is a Senior Sports Writer at The Game Day. Previously, he wrote for 4for4 Football and RotoBaller. Frank is a member of the Fantasy Sports Writer's Association while maintaining an active presence within the community. He has competed in industry contests like the Scott Fish Bowl, The Great Fantasy Baseball Invitational, and more. Frank will be making his debut in Tout Wars this year. He's got a diverse sporting background, but specializes in football and baseball.

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