Behind the Buffalo Bills 2024 schedule: the Running Backs

With mandatory minicamp ending this week, the Buffalo Bills are one step closer to the 2024 NFL regular season. Next up for the Bills is training camp, which begins at the end of July.

Before we can get into the details of summer camp, we’ll continue to break down the position groups Buffalo will face in the upcoming season. As such, let’s take a look at some of the running backs who will line up against the Bills defense.

Nine: The number of rushers the Bills will face who have totaled more than 1,000 yards during the 2023 season. This includes 2023 league leader Christian McCaffrey, who totaled 1,459 yards and 14 touchdowns for the 49ers. San Francisco last season. His accomplishments also earned him the honor of being on the cover of Madden 25 this year.

Aside from McCaffrey, it doesn’t get much easier since the second leading rusher, Derrick Henry, is also in Buffalo’s program – but he now plays for the Baltimore Ravens. But wait… there’s more! The third leading runner, Kyren Williams of the Los Angeles Rams, is also on the program. The Bills are fortunate not to face the fourth leading rusher: James Cook.

Seven: The number of running backs the Bills will face who have 10 or more rushing touchdowns during the 2023 season. The leader in this category is Miami Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert, who has 18 ground goals.

Two of those running backs belong to the Detroit Lions. Veteran David Montgomery threw for 13 touchdowns last season, while rookie Jahmyr Gibbs chipped in with 10 touchdowns. After having a fairly productive game against the Bills in London, Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne is back on the schedule with 11 touchdowns compared to last year.

Eight: The defense will face a lot of explosive running backs this season as eight of them on the schedule had at least seven runs of 20+ yards last season. The player with the most runs of over 20 yards will be his opponent in Week 1. James Connor of the Arizona Cardinals had 11 runs for 20 yards or more.

Three of the players who achieved this feat play in the AFC East. Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert had seven carries for 20+ yards, and teammate De’Von Achane had eight (in a limited role, no less).

New York Jets running back Breece Hall also had seven of those rushes. To make matters worse, Achane and Hall finished first and second in the NFL in runs of 40-plus yards with five and four respectively.