Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir got off to a quiet start in the Bills’ home opener against the Baltimore Ravens. In the first half, Shakir was targeted by quarterback Josh Allen just three times, catching two of those passes for nine yards.
After leading the Bills’ receiving room in 2024 with 821 yards, the slow start to the 2025 NFL season is head-turning. What is going on with the Bills’ WR1?
What Happened to Khalil Shakir?
The Bills’ offense came out firing on the first possession against the Ravens, driving down the field decisively to score the game’s first touchdown. Shakir was targeted but was not able to haul in his only look on the drive.
Through the first two quarters of the Bills’ season, Shakir hasn’t made any waves like he did when he came on the scene in 2024. The Bills’ WR1 finally made his presence felt late in the first half on a late drive down the field as the Bills attempted to get one more score before the end of the second quarter.
JOSH ALLEN TO KHALIL SHAKIRpic.twitter.com/YL7p0wQMge
— Pick 6 Pack (@Pick6PackFB) September 8, 2025
While the wide receivers haven’t been as involved, both tight ends, Dawson Knox and Dalton Kincaid, have been open often for Allen to target in the passing game. With both assets rolling on the ends of the line, the wide receivers have more time to settle in, as fans saw towards the end of the first half.
However, the Bills will need the offense to keep the momentum of the first drive alive. They’ve been outgained since by the Ravens, falling into a 27-13 hole as Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry, and the Ravens’ offense start to pick up steam.
The late field goal drive in the first half was promising, but with the Ravens coming out of the half and driving right down the field for a touchdown, the Bills will need to respond if they want to keep the pressure on Baltimore.
After the Kansas City Chiefs’ struggles in Week 1 against the Los Angeles Chargers, the AFC might end up being a race between the Ravens and Bills, hoping to break through the Chiefs’ AFC postseason stranglehold. The Ravens look the part, but Buffalo has some kinks to work out. The offense looks a little uneven with the balance of rush and pass so far in Week 1. However, things should get easier as the season continues.
