Ray Davis ignites Buffalo's offense with explosive kick returns, leading the NFL and giving his team beneficial starting field position. He's the unexpected force making big plays.
The Buffalo Bills have found a new strength this season, and it comes from a player that you wouldn’t expect to see in the role.
Over the last eight weeks, second-year running back Ray Davis has been the main kick returner for the team. In what started as a “see what he can do” type of spot for the 26-year-old has turned into a main position for the former Kentucky standout.
But just how good has Davis been? Well, he’s been good enough to lead the NFL.
Since being put as the main returner in Week 9 against the Kansas City Chiefs, Davis has returned 23 kicks for 745 yards. That puts him at an average of 32.4 yards per return, which is the best in the league for players with 15 or more returns on the season. The next closest player to him is the New York Jets' Isaiah Williams at 29.7.
He’s even one of just five players with a touchdown return to his name this season—a 97-yard touchdown against Houston in Week 12.
As far as total yards, he’s still behind a number of players like Chimere Dike (1413), Myles Price (1405), and KaVontae Turpin (1336). But those are players with roughly 30 more returns on the season than Davis, and all average at least six yards fewer per return. At his current pace, if Davis had as many attempts as the leader Dike (55), he would be at 1,782 yards.
Against New England on Sunday, Davis had four returns for 164 yards. That 41-yard average return, which included a 58-yard return to open the second half, set up the Bills with an average starting field position of the Buffalo 45.
Since taking over the primary return duties halfway through the season, the Bills are starting, on average, at their own 35-yard line. While that’s the same yard line for a touchback, the fact that Davis is making sure the team starts around the same yardline when he has to return kicks says something about not only his ability but the blocking and scheme from Special Teams coordinator Chris Torbor.
The Bills have found a true weapon in the return game in Davis. And should he continue to perform at the level he has, Buffalo will continue to have some of the shortest distances to go from here on out.