Though the Bills’ backfield looks like a three or even four-headed fantasy nightmare to avoid, rookie Devin Singletary is providing glimpses of hope and upside. A week after earning a “steady amount of opportunities” with the fist team, Singletary highly impressed in his NFL debut.
He was the centerpiece for the teams’ first scoring drive of 2019, accounting for 37 of the Bills’ 46 yards as both a runner and receiver. At one point, he touched the ball on seven of eight plays, racking up 16 rushing yards (4.0 YPC) and 21 receiving yards across the drive. He was a chain-mover throughout, converting three first downs with strong vision, decision-making, and the ability to both find creases or create on his own when none exist.
Singletary’s strong performance came on the heels of a standout training camp thus far. According to The Athletic, Singletary has displayed strong “vision in reading block set-up,” “flashed as a pass-catcher,” “has a habit for the big play,” and has made “good defenders look foolish in the open field” while racking up chunk yardage.
Currently, Singletary is lodged behind veterans LeSean McCoy and Frank Gore. Still, both backs are well-over 30, and neither can offer Singletary’s explosiveness at this stage of their careers. McCoy has struggled with health, while Gore has to hit a cliff at some point, right?
Consequently, Singletary’s skyrocketed into my Top-100. Considering the early congestion here, Singletary remains much more of a “stash-and-see.” Still, whether injury or ineffectiveness to the old men in front of him, the rookie seems destined to take control of this backfield at some point. We can only hope it’s sooner than later.
