Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen managed to take home one piece of hardware last year with the first NFL MVP nod of his career.
Sure, this wasn’t the hardware Allen was hoping to take home with him, but it is evidence the Bills quarterback is a bonafide superstar in the league.
One of the narratives surrounding the Bills and their inability to get past the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC is how ‘Josh Allen-centric’ the team feels, but one NFL analyst points out that usage stat actually decreased for the Buffalo QB in 2024.
Josh Allen Saw His Dropbacks Per Game Fall in 2024
PFF NFL Analyst Nathan Jahnke was dissecting the slight dip in fantasy production when he came across an interesting stat showcasing Allen seeing his dropbacks decrease last year in comparison to previous years.
Jahnke wrote, “Allen did have a notable decline in fantasy points per game compared to the last four seasons, even though he ranked second-best. The biggest reason was a significant decrease in dropbacks per game. The Bills have gone from a pass-heavy team to a more balanced team. They generally win many games, leading to more runs in the fourth quarter. They’ve made up for it in the past with a high pass rate, but not in 2024.”
This lines up when you realize last season was the first time since 2019 that Allen attempted fewer than 500 passes.
Jahnke added, “Allen’s utilization has remained very similar over the years, including a remarkably consistent time to throw. Joe Brady took over as offensive coordinator halfway into 2023, which has led to a more balanced offense. This has generally worked for Buffalo but not necessarily for the fantasy value of the Bills players.”
What Does Josh Allen’s Supporting Cast Look Like Entering 2025?
Like most great quarterbacks, Allen has proven capable of leading a plus-level offense no matter who is catching the ball from him.
Still, the supporting cast at receiver doesn’t look great outside of Khalil Shakir, who is an underneath slot specialist with great YAC ability.
Jahnke concluded, “The biggest changes in the offense were at wide receiver, where the team moved on from both Mack Hollins and Amari Cooper. They combined for 96 targets last season. Buffalo added Joshua Palmer early in free agency and Elijah Moore after the draft. Palmer fits nicely as a replacement for Hollins at the Z receiver spot. Khalil Shakir, Curtis Samuel and Moore have played more out of the slot than out wide recently, so one of those players will likely start to see more work as an outside receiver. Considering that Cooper was playing through injury throughout his time in Buffalo, these should be slight upgrades for Allen.”
Ideally, the Bills would love to see a player like Keon Coleman emerge as a top-tier go-to weapon for Allen to grow with… But if the players simply don’t rise to the occasion, then Allen has proven he will take matters into his own hands to elevate the team to the postseason.
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