ESPN names the Buffalo Bills player the rest of the NFL could wake up on during the 2026 season
Buffalo Bills hope to have a rookie class that can be a key part of the team going forward. ESPN revealed a Bills rookie the rest of the NFL could be waking up on.
Much of the Buffalo Bills’ work in the 2026 NFL Draft was on the defensive side of the football, expectedly. However, there were multiple players added to try to make QB Josh Allen’s job easier.
The Bills have struggled to put the right talent around their star quarterback and between the trade for DJ Moore, and the draft — Buffalo made it a point this offseason.
Buffalo waited until Day 3 of the draft to grab a wide receiver, but the decision might end up looking like a great one.
ESPN highlights Bills rookie as one of the most underrated in the NFL
ESPN’s Jordan Reid is one of the best draft minds in the business and what he says about incoming players should hold weight. Buffalo Bills WR Skyler Bell is one of five underrated rookies he recently pointed out.
“Surprisingly falling to Day 3, Bell couldn’t have landed in a better situation. He’ll be asked to be an early contributor in Joe Brady’s offense, which also added wide receiver DJ Moore this offseason,” Reid wrote. “Bell thrived in catch-and-run situations at UConn, and quarterback Josh Allen should be able to find him explosive plays in bunches.”
Bell is a player who can play inside and out for the Bills while bringing speed to be able to break things open. The 5-foot-11 wideout had elite production in college and he should be a Year 1 contributor for the Bills’ offense. Bell had over 2,100 receiving yards in the last two college seasons at UConn, headlined by 1,278 receiving yards in 2025.
The Bills will rely on Moore and Shakir to be their top two wideouts, and they have Josh Palmer as the third guy currently. No one would be surprised if Bell can work into being the No. 3 guy at worst by the end of the 2026 season — he has that kind of talent.
Building trust with Allen is the first hurdle Bell will have to get over in the NFL, every rookie wideout has to build a connection with their quarterback. Once he can do so, his game-breaking speed and ability to make plays are going to get him on the field.
Between proven talent with Moore and youth with Bell, the Bills did a strong job of adding wide receiver talent when they had to. Bell’s rookie season is one to watch, even if he’s being a bit overlooked currently due to his draft slot.