Josh Allen isn’t just the best player on the Buffalo Bills, but he is one of if not the best players in the entire league. Before Allen came into the picture in Western New York, the Bills were dysfunctional and they couldn’t figure out the quarterback position at all. While that was a continuous nightmare that fans had to endure, there were still plenty of quality players that suited up for the Bills.
Luckily, Bills Mafia has the great pleasure of witnessing the greatness that Allen has shown since stepping foot onto the field for the Bills. Even though Allen has been the biggest difference make for the Bills every year, the team still does have plenty of great talent that helps take pressure off of Allen.
We decided to look at the six best players (not including Josh Allen) for the Bills heading into the 2026 season.
6 best Bills players heading into 2026 (other than Josh Allen)
Honorable Mentions: CB Christian Benford & TE Dalton Kincaid
I put Christian Benford and Dalton Kincaid as honorable mentions for different reasons, but which could cause some confusion as to why they aren’t in the Top 6.
Benford has proven that he is one of the better shutdown corners in the game since becoming a starter in Buffalo. Going from a 6th-round pick in 2020 to where he is now, Benford was one of the best draft picks under Brandon Beane. However, he definitely did have some tough games last season. Or he atleast didn’t look like the shutdown corner that he has shown to be.
As for Kincaid, he has a ton of talent and he hasn’t even reached his ceiling as to what he can do on the field. The biggest knock on him is his availability, as he has missed a handful of games in each of the last two seasons. Buffalo did pick up his 5th-year option of his rookie deal, but he needs to prove that he can stay healthy.
6.) Cole Bishop
Going into this third season with the Bills, Cole Bishop took a major step forward from his rookie year to last season. With having Jordan Poyer mentoring him last season, Bishop was able to pick up a couple of things that helped him improve his game. He was much better in pass coverage, and his ability to stop the run improved throughout the season.
Now that Bishop has Jim Leonhard as his playcaller, I would say it’s very possible that Bishop could easily be a Pro Bowler and possibly even an All-Pro player.
5.) Dion Dawkins
One of the best left tackles in the game that has been exceptional and consistent, Dion Dawkins is the one that protects the blindside for Josh Allen. He has been a phenomenal protector in pass protection and as long as he is playing in his prime, he will always be one of the best linemen in the game.
4.) Connor McGovern
The anchor of the offensive line is back in Buffalo for the next four seasons having signed a new extension with the Bills prior to the start of free agency. Connor McGovern made the switch from guard to center in 2024 and he has been outstanding at the very least. The Bills were on their way to losing both McGovern and David Edwards in free agency, but they managed to bring McGovern back.
3.) DJ Moore
Yes, you read that right. I’m putting DJ Moore on this list despite him not playing a snap for the Bills yet. Coming from the Chicago Bears, Moore has been part of an offense where there were too many playmakers being brought to the team, and Moore’s production dropped. That shouldn’t be the case at all with him in Buffalo.
He has reached over 1,000 yards in four out of his eight seasons and him getting both Josh Allen and Joe Brady to work with, Moore is destined to have one of his most impactful seasons as a pro.
2.) Deone Walker
This ranking might cause some conversations, but no one can deny the fact that Deone Walker was a major steal for the Bills in the 4th round of last year’s draft. Coming of Kentucky, Walker dropped due to a back injury during the 2023 season but his rookie season with the Bills proved that he has first round talent.
Even though Buffalo’s defensive line was atrocious at times, Walker provided great interior pressure and he had a couple of blocked passes as well. The expectation is that Walker will be the true nose tackle in Jim Leonhard’s defense and that he will only keep improving his game.
1.) James Cook
You could make the argument that the offense can run through James Cook as much as it does with Allen. All that Cook has done since coming into the league has improved, and now he has proven himself to be, at worst, at Top 10 running back. He led the league in rushing touchdowns in 2024 (16) and then led the league in rushing yards in 2025 (1,621 yards).
Since Joe Brady took over the offense in the middle of the 2023 season, Buffalo has managed to establish their rushing attack once again and Cook has played a great role in it.
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