Both kicker Tyler Bass and the Buffalo Bills defense have attracted a lot of fantasy football attention in recent years. That might not be the case in 2024, however.
Bass struggled mightily in 2023. It was a significant setback after he was trending toward becoming one of the NFL’s top kickers early in his career. Defensively, the major questions surround whether the unit can replace multiple key contributors who exited during the offseason.
This marks the final look at the Bills fantasy football forecast for the upcoming campaign. Here’s a look at the previous installments:
Bills Kicker/Defense 2024 Fantasy Football Outlook
Tyler Bass
Buffalo not bringing in serious competition for Bass was a surprise amid its widespread roster overhaul. It felt like an obvious move after he missed five field goals during the regular season and another three in the playoffs. The latter included a failed game-tying attempt late in the team’s 27-24 season-ending loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
While it appears the Bills are going to give the 27-year-old Georgia Southern product every chance to reestablish himself, that doesn’t mean he’s a safe fantasy selection. In fact, he’s probably the biggest boom-or-bust option at the position.
If Bass returns to form, he’ll have a reasonable chance to finish inside the top five among kickers. The Buffalo offense still has a lot of firepower despite the departures of Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis. Having Josh Allen keeps any unit in the upper echelon.
That said, if he gets off to a sluggish start there’s a realistic chance the Bills front office opts to move in a new direction at kicker. While it’s not a major deal at a less important fantasy spot, it’s still a wasted waiver position when you have to pick up a new one. So, there’s risk involved with taking him.
Bass finished as the K17 last year despite the issues. It makes the climb back into the top 12 quite manageable if he’s more consistent, and the top-five upside is real if he’s in peak form. It all comes down to how much risk-reward a manager is willing to manage at a secondary position.
2024 Projection: 152 points (K9)
Bills Defense/Special Teams
Buffalo’s defense will need to build an identity in 2024 after losing the heart and soul of the unit: safeties Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer. That tandem roamed the secondary together for seven years, erasing a lot of mistakes and becoming perhaps the best safety duo in the NFL.
The Bills also lost cornerback Tre’Davious White, defensive end Leonard Floyd, and a sizable group of defensive reserves. It puts a lot of pressure on head coach Sean McDermott and defensive coordinator Bobby Babich to quickly reshape the unit.
From a fantasy perspective, there are legitimate concerns. The loss of Floyd hampers the team’s sack potential—he led the team with 10.5 quarterback takedowns last year—and the rebuilt secondary doesn’t feature quite as much playmaking ability.
That said, there are still reasons for optimism, led by the dynamic linebacker pairing of Matt Milano and Terrel Bernard. Top corner Rasul Douglas was also a force after being acquired from the Green Bay Packers last season, tallying four interceptions in nine games.
Greg Rousseau and A.J. Epenesa hold the key to exactly how high the Bills defense can climb the fantasy rankings, though. If the edge-rushers can combine for 15-plus sacks, Buffalo could crack the top five again this year. If they don’t, and Von Miller remains virtually useless for a second straight season, the unit could slide quite a bit in 2024.
Buffalo will hold a competition throughout training camp and the preseason to determine its kick and punt returner(s). It’s unlikely the winner(s) will massively improve the fantasy unit’s outlook, though.
2024 Projection: 135 points (D/ST12)
Main Photo: [Jamie Germano/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle] – USA Today Sports
