Yes, we know that this is taking a while!
As many of you know, we at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the top 50 of each major North American sports team. That being said, we maintain and update our existing Top 50 lists annually. As such, we are delighted to present our post-2024 revision of our top 50 Buffalo Bills.
As for all of our top 50 players in football, we look at the following:
1. Advanced Statistics.
2. Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National Football League.
3. Playoff accomplishments.
4. Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles that are not reflected in a stat sheet.
Last year, the Bills went 13-4 and had a deep run in the postseason, though it was disappointing, as they fell to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game. There were no new entrants, but two significant elevations occurred.
As always, we present our top five, which remains unchanged in that ranking.
1. Bruce Smith
2. Thurman Thomas
3. O.J. Simpson
4. Jim Kelly
5. Andre Reed
You can find the entire list here.
The reigning MVP, Quarterback Josh Allen, broke into the top 10 (at #10) from his previous rank of #21.
Tackle Dion Dawkins, who is on a four-year run of Pro Bowls, advanced to #28 from #41.
We thank you for your continued support of our lists on Notinhalloffame.com.
Yes, we know that this is taking a while!
As many of you know, we at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the top 50 of each major North American sports team. That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists and consistently look to update them when necessary and based on necessity. As such, we are delighted to present our post-2023 revision of our top 50 Buffalo Bills.
As for all of our top 50 players in football, we look at the following:
1. Advanced Statistics.
2. Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National Football League.
3. Playoff accomplishments.
4. Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles that are not reflected in a stat sheet.
Last year, the Bills again made it to the playoffs but again fell short, having been knocked off by Kansas City in the second round. The year gave us one new entrant and two elevations.
As always, we present our top five, which saw no changes:
1. Bruce Smith
2. Thurman Thomas
3. O.J. Simpson
4. Jim Kelly
5. Andre Reed
You can find the entire list here.
Quarterback Josh Allen rose to #22 from #30.
Wide Receiver Stefon Diggs rocketed to #29 from #45. He is now with the Houston Texans.
The only new entrant is three-time Offensive Tackle Dion Dawkins, who first appears at #39.
Notably, Tremaine Edmunds has been dropped off the list.
We thank you for your continued support of our lists on Notinhalloffame.com.
Yes, we know that this is taking a while!
As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team. That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists out and we always consistently look to update them when we can and based on necessity. As such, we are very happy to present our post 2022 revision of our top 50 Buffalo Bills.
As for all of our top 50 players in football we look at the following:
1. Advanced Statistics.
2. Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National Football League.
3. Playoff accomplishments.
4. Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet.
Last year, Buffalo made it into the playoffs, making it to the second round. 2022 yielded one new entrant to the Top 50, and one elevation.
As always, we present our top five, which had no changes.
1. Bruce Smith
3. O.J. Simpson
4. Jim Kelly
5. Andre Reed
You can find the entire list here.
Quarterback, Josh Allen, vaults eight spots to #30. This was the second year in a row that he led the NFL in Approximate Value.
The lone debut is Wide Receiver, Stefon Diggs, who enters at #45. He has been a Pro Bowler all three of his Bills campaigns.
We welcome your input and comments and as always, we thank you for your support.
Selected in the fourth round (86th overall) of the 1985 NFL Draft out of Division II Kutztown University, Andre Reed arrived in Buffalo as a small-school prospect with raw athletic upside. He quickly shattered expectations, spending 15 seasons as Jim Kelly's most dependable target and establishing himself as one of the most prolific wide receivers in NFL history.
Reed revolutionized slot and intermediate receiver roles within Marv Levy's fast-paced "K-Gun" offense. Known for his fearless approach to the middle of the field, he specialized in running slants, shallow crosses, and seam routes through dense secondary coverage. Once he caught the ball, Reed became a strong runner, leveraging his powerful lower body and quick bursts of speed to make significant yardage after the catch (YAC).
Reed made an impressive rookie debut in 1985 with 48 catches, 637 yards, and four touchdowns. In 1986, he became Buffalo's top receiver, leading in both receptions and yards. His rise to elite status aligned with Buffalo's no-huddle offense. Reed received his first of seven straight Pro Bowl selections (1988–1994) in 1988, with 71 catches for 968 yards. He hit his career high in receiving yards in 1989, with 88 catches, 1,312 yards, and nine touchdowns, earning Second-Team All-Pro honors.
During Buffalo's four straight AFC championship runs, Reed was the offense's key player in crucial moments. In 1991, he made 81 catches for 1,113 yards and scored 10 touchdowns, setting a personal best, with another impressive season in 1992. His postseason performance in 1992 solidified his reputation in big games, especially during "The Comeback" against the Houston Oilers, where he caught eight passes for 136 yards and scored three second-half touchdowns, helping set the NFL record for the biggest playoff comeback.
Reed enjoyed another prolific season in 1994, setting a single-season career high with 90 receptions for 1,303 yards. Despite a hamstring injury in 1995, he bounced back in 1996 with 66 catches for 1,036 yards—his fourth 1,000-yard campaign. He remained a steady starter through his final year in Buffalo in 1999, then concluded his career with Washington in 2000.
Over 15 seasons with Buffalo, Reed established franchise records that remain unbroken: 941 receptions, 13,095 receiving yards, and 86 receiving touchdowns in 221 regular-season games. Upon retiring, he ranked just behind Jerry Rice in career postseason receptions (85) and Super Bowl catches (27). The franchise enshrined Reed on the Buffalo Bills Wall of Fame in 2006. Eight years later, he took his place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2014.