The Buffalo Bills are experiencing some receiver injuries ahead of Week 3’s game against the Chargers, but we can’t forget the team drafted a wideout in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Skyler Bell has been a healthy scratch for the first two contests of the season after he worked his way back from an injury in the summer that kept him out of the first two preseason games in August.
In the final exhibition outing, draft pick from UConn led the team with seven snags for 49 yards and took a jet
sweep 28 yards for a touchdown in Buffalo’s 28-27 win.
I’m ready to see Bell in a real game, aren’t you?
D.J. Moore was downgraded from limited Wednesday to DNP on Thursday. Keon Coleman has yet to practice this week.
When two receivers are DNP on Thursday during a week with a Sunday game, chances are another receiver is going to be called upon in the upcoming contest.
That’s why Bell is almost assuredly going to be running routes for the first time as a professional in Week 3 against a Chargers secondary that ranks 26th in EPA per drop back allowed through two games.
Regarding Bell the player, as a refresher, here’s what I wrote about him before the draft:
“Skyler Bell is a modern inside–outside wide receiver with a lighter, compact build and enough length through his limbs to play bigger than his listed size. He’s nimble and light on his feet, showing noticeable quickness off the line and smooth acceleration into his routes. Bell isn’t physically imposing, but he moves easily and fluidly, giving him the flexibility to align both in the slot and outside depending on matchup and usage.
From a skill standpoint, Bell wins with suddenness more than power. He shows clean footwork on underneath routes and has double moves in his bag thanks to his ability to change speeds and directions without gearing down. He’s a clear hands-catcher who consistently plucks the ball away from his frame, and despite his size, he’s a respectable contested-catch finisher due to strong tracking instincts rather than leaping ability or physical dominance. After the catch, Bell is functional but not dynamic — he won’t consistently break tackles, yet he has enough juking ability and spatial awareness to avoid clean hits and steal extra yards in space. Physical coverage gives him trouble early in routes, and his route running, while solid, doesn’t consistently uncover defenders with nuance alone. Speed is slightly above average, and concentration lapses show up at times with a few too many easy drops on film.
Bell projects as a rotational NFL receiver whose value comes from versatility, reliable hands mechanics, and functional route ability rather than any standout trait. There’s no glaring weakness in his profile, but also no defining calling card that elevates him beyond a complementary role at this stage. He profiles best as a WR3/WR4 option who can move around formations, contribute underneath, and win selectively in contested situations, but likely won’t tilt coverage or demand schemed touches.”
I had a late second/early third-round grade on him and compared him to Sterling Shepard.
Not only did they appear similar on the field, they were almost mirror images of each other with very comparable combine workouts.
Shepard was 5’10” and 194 pounds with 4.48 speed, a 41-inch vertical, and 128” broad jump all the way back in 2016. Bell measured in at 5’11 5/8” with 4.41 speed, a 41-inch vertical, and 133” broad jump. So Buffalo’s receiver is a little bigger with slightly more juice.
And the Bills offense has exuded juice through two games.
Josh Allen’s enormous arm is being accentuated by head coach Joe Brady. Don’t be surprised if Bell is thrown into the mix and targeted downfield in this one. To me, his best bet to get open against sizable veteran outside corners Tarheeb Still and Cam Hart, who have 4.52 and 4.50 speed respectively, is on vertical routes.
While the gadget plays haven’t been part of Buffalo’s offense through two games beyond a jet sweep to Moore, expect Bell to get schemed up on some high-percentage throws or even credited with a carry simply because of his speed and explosiveness. That’s a more sensible ask for a rookie in his NFL debut than hoping he gets open on his own underneath or at the intermediate level.
In Week 2, a huge opportunity was thrust upon Coleman, and he delivered with six catches for 63 yards, including four grabs that went for first downs.
Bell will likely get a few chances to demonstrate the burst, long speed, and edge that were all very apparent on film during his 101-catch, 1,278-yard, 13-touchdown final season in college last year.
