As the new NFL season approaches, Buffalo Bills fans are closely monitoring the status of one of their key offensive weapons. Wide receiver Khalil Shakir has been dealing with an injury that sidelined him for most of training camp and the entire preseason. With Josh Allen needing his most reliable target healthy for the season opener, here’s what fantasy football managers need to know about Shakir’s availability.
Is Khalil Shakir Playing Week 1?
All signs point to Shakir being ready for the Bills’ season opener against the Baltimore Ravens on September 7. The veteran receiver returned to practice on August 27 for the first time since suffering a high ankle sprain during the team’s “Blue & Red” practice on August 1.
Making a very significant return to practice on Wednesday: WR Khalil Shakir.
First day back since the high ankle sprain at the stadium practice. pic.twitter.com/TBbOPE8q0u
— Alaina Getzenberg (@agetzenberg) August 27, 2025
Head coach Sean McDermott has expressed confidence in Shakir’s recovery timeline throughout the process. “That’s what I’m being told [that Shakir will be available Week 1],” McDermott said during training camp. The coach has consistently maintained that the receiver is “on track to be ready for Week 1 against the Ravens”.
The injury occurred during a routine drill when Shakir landed awkwardly and had to leave the field with trainers. He was immediately ruled week-to-week with the high ankle sprain, causing concern about his availability for the regular season opener.
However, Shakir’s recent return to practice has provided optimism. When he took the field for the first time in nearly a month, the receiver spoke positively about his recovery. “It felt great. Obviously, there was a plan put in place from the moment it happened,” Shakir said. “Even just today, doing routes on air, it was right back to where we were. There was no missteps or anything like that.”
The 25-year-old receiver has dealt with similar injuries before, including a high ankle sprain last season against Baltimore that caused him to miss one game. “The same exact thing happened last year, Baltimore, whatever week that was,” Shakir explained. “Same exact thing and timeline was a lot faster. It just kind of depends.”
General manager Brandon Beane has expressed confidence in the connection between Shakir and quarterback Josh Allen despite the missed time. “I think Josh is very, very confident with Shakir,” Beane said. “Not long after he got here, there was just a natural feel.”
Shakir’s Fantasy Football Outlook
Fantasy sports can be complicated, but it doesn’t have to be in this spot. The Ravens defense has upside, but, at some level, they are a victim of their own team’s success: no team has seen more passes thrown against them over the past two seasons than Baltimore.
MORE:Â Free Fantasy Football Start/Sit Optimizer
Khalil Shakir has cleared 10 PPR points in 11 of his last 12 games in which the over/under was north of 45 points, reaching 15 points on five occasions. The floor is always elite, and the ceiling is higher this week than most for Buffalo’s slot machine, giving him an easy case for top-20 status to open the season.
— Kyle Soppe, PFSN Fantasy Analyst
