Deonte

Harty

Harty returns to his hometown of Baltimore, where he will likely return kicks and play out of the slot. He was an All-Pro returner as a rookie, returning 24 kicks for 644 yards and 36 punts for 338 yards and a touchdown in 2019 for the Saints. Harty spent four seasons with the Saints, getting his most utility as a receiver in 2021 with 36 receptions for 570 yards and three touchdowns. He spent last season with the Bills, getting his most usage as a punt returner. Expect Harty to have a similar return-man role with occasional looks on offense with the Ravens.

The Bills in March released Harty, a kick return specialist, a year after he signed a two-year deal with Buffalo. He managed 15 receptions for 150 yards and a touchdown in 2023 while serving as the team’s primary kick returner. The NFL’s new kickoff rules could make players like Harty more sought after this offseason.

The Bills signed Harty to a two-year, $9.5 million contract last offseason. Harty proved to be a difference-maker as a returner but failed to do much on offense. He caught 15 passes for 150 yards and a touchdown. Bills fans will remember him for his 96-yard punt return for a touchdown in Week 18 versus the Dolphins. He should land a job as a punt returner and depth receiver elsewhere in free agency.

Davis sprained his PCL in Week 18 and will now miss a second game because of the issue. Davis didn’t practice this week, putting his status for the AFC Championship, should Buffalo make it, in doubt as well. Khalil Shakir will step in as the team’s No. 2 receiver once again. Shakir has nine grabs for 136 yards and a touchdown over the past two weeks. Deonte Harty and Trent Sherfield will both see an uptick in routes as well.

Jackson and Rapp are both dealing with injuries suffered in last week’s win over the Jets and were ruled out prior to game day. The Bills enter the day with their core offensive unit intact for what should be an explosive game for fantasy purposes.

Harty motioned into the backfield from the left flank and found himself uncovered on the left side of the end zone to score on his only target from three yards out in the fourth quarter. He continued to split slot snaps with Khalil Shakir even in the absence of rookie tight end Dalton Kincaid, which leaves his fantasy value next to nothing moving forward.

Harty seems to be occupying the role previously held by Isaiah McKenzie over the past few years. The Bills are getting him the ball underneath and are trying to scheme ways to get him the ball in space with runs. One of his runs was also a jet sweep in the red zone, which happened to lose four yards. However, his usage is appealing in deep league and DFS formats as it’s clear that Buffalo wants to find ways to get him the ball.

The second-year pro entered camp as the favorite for slot duties between Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis but has instead tumbled behind Trent Sherfield and Deonte Harty. Not exactly imposing competition. It’s also bad news for the Bills, who will once again lack a legitimate third weapon in the receiver corps. It places more pressure on first-rounder Dalton Kincaid to make an instant impact. Harty was the primary slot man in Saturday’s preseason game against the Steelers.

Per Buscaglia, Sherfield has “stood out the most this spring” in the competition to serve as the Bills’ No. 3 wideout. He is competing with second-year pro Khalil Shakir and Deonte Harty. The fantasy community has been hoping it will be Shakir, who forced his way onto the field for some rookie action last year. It’s not surprising veteran Sherfield is looking good in pad-less practices. The job will be won or lost in training camp. Whoever takes it home could have some WR5 bench value.

The deal, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, is worth up to $13.5 million, with $5 million guaranteed. The blazing fast Harty, who missed much of the 2022 season with a toe injury, shapes up as a much-needed downfield specialist for Josh Allen. Harty could also function as Buffalo’s primary kick returner. In 2021, Harty caught 36 passes for 570 yards and three touchdowns with a 10.6 average depth of target. Nearly 20 percent of his targets that season were over 20 yards downfield.