McKenzie will face competition for the starting slot receiver role from 2023 third-round pick Josh Downs, the Indianapolis Star reports.
Indianapolis wide receiver coach Reggie Wayne called Downs the best receiver in the 2023 draft class, so that may be an indication he has a head start in the race. The Colts signed McKenzie for just one year and $1.23 million, so it's not a lock he even makes the Week 1 roster. However, the Colts may want to begin the season with a veteran in the slot if Downs has any growing pains in training camp, especially if rookie Anthony Richardson, the fourth overall pick in this year's draft, wins the starting quarterback job over Gardner Minshew.
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Colts' Isaiah McKenzie: Finds home in Indy
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The Colts are signing McKenzie to a contract Tuesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
McKenzie put up a 42-423-4 receiving line across 15 games with the Bills last season, in addition to nine carries for 55 yards and a rushing score. He could get a chance to earn significant playing time in Indianapolis' receiving corps, alongside Michael Pittman and Alec Pierce, though the team could still add pass-catchers in April's draft. The Colts could also additionally bolster their quarterback room, currently led by Gardner Minshew.
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Isaiah McKenzie: Let go by Bills
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The Bills released McKenzie on Friday, Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com reports.
Per Getzenberg, by releasing McKenzie, the Bills are in line to save over $2 million against this year's salary cap. During the 2022 season, McKenzie recorded 42 catches for 423 yards and four TDs as well as nine carries for 55 yards and a rushing TD in 15 games. The 2017 fifth-rounder will now look to catch on with another team looking to add wide receiver/return help.
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Bills' Isaiah McKenzie: Best season as a pro
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McKenzie finished the regular season with 42 catches for 423 yards and four TD receptions to go with nine carries for 55 yards and a rushing TD over 15 games.
McKenzie served as the No. 3 receiver for most of the season, but his week-to-week production was spotty between inconsistent usage and some minor injuries. He never posted more than three catches or 40 yards after Week 13, including the playoffs. Still, overall it was a decent season for the 2017 fifth-rounder, as McKenzie had previously never reached this level of production. His role as the No. 3 receiver is far from secure, as the Bills have a number of young receivers they are looking to develop, plus Cole Beasley might give it another go for one more season while veteran Jamison Crowder will likely be healthy again soon.
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Bills' Isaiah McKenzie: Full participant, says he'll play
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McKenzie (hamstring) was listed as a full participant during Wednesday's walk-through practice and said he'll be good to go for Sunday's divisional-round matchup against Cincinnati, Thad Brown of News 8 Rochester reports.
McKenzie was inactive for the Bills' wild-card win over Miami due to a hamstring injury. However, per Brown, the slot wideout said he's about 90 percent healthy, despite not taking part in any running during Wednesday's practice because it was a walk-through workout. Barring any setbacks, McKenzie will resume his duties as Buffalo's top slot option, which would likely mean less playing time for Khalil Shakir and Cole Beasley. Across 15 regular-season appearances, McKenzie caught 42 of 65 targets for 423 yards and four scores. He also rushed nine times for 55 yards and an additional score.
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Bills' Isaiah McKenzie: Inactive Sunday
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McKenzie (hamstring) is inactive for Sunday's playoff game against the Dolphins.
McKenzie was listed as questionable for the contest after not practicing Thursday or Friday and he'll sit this one out. In his absence, Khalil Shakir, Cole Beasley and John Brown are candidates to log added snaps behind top wideouts Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis. McKenzie will thus target a potential return to action next weekend, should the Bills advance to the divisional round of the playoffs.
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Bills' Isaiah McKenzie: Questionable for Sunday's game
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McKenzie (hamstring) is listed as questionable for Sunday's playoff opener against the Dolphins after not practicing Thursday or Friday, Chris Brown of the Bills' official site reports.
McKenzie's status for the Bills' wild-card round contest could come down to a game-time decision ahead of the team's 1:00 ET kickoff Sunday. In the event that McKenzie is limited or unavailable for the contest, Khalil Shakir, John Brown and Cole Beasley would be candidates to log added snaps versus Miami behind top wideouts Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis.
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Bills' Isaiah McKenzie: Not practicing Thursday
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McKenzie (hamstring) wasn't spotted at practice Thursday, Alaina Getzenberg of ESPN.com reports.
McKenzie was listed as limited at Wednesday's practice, so what he's able to do Friday will be a key indicator regarding his availability for Sunday's playoff opener against the Dolphins. If McKenzie is limited or out this weekend, added snaps would be available for Khalil Shakir and Cole Beasley, while the Bills could also choose to add WR depth via the team's practice squad.
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Bills' Isaiah McKenzie: Limited practice Wednesday
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McKenzie was listed as a limited practice participant Wednesday due to a hamstring injury, Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic reports.
It's unclear if the hamstring issue is something McKenzie picked up during the Bills' Week 18 win over the Patriots or during Wednesday's practice. Either way, the wideout's status is now worth tracking ahead of the Bills' wild-card game against the Dolphins on Sunday.
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Bills' Isaiah McKenzie: Catches two passes in win
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McKenzie caught two of three targets for 19 yards in Sunday's 35-23 win over the Patriots.
McKenzie continued to operate as the Bills' No. 3 receiver Sunday, playing 33 of Buffalo's 59 offensive snaps. However, the veteran was unable make a major imprint in the box score, which has become a recurring trend. He didn't find the end zone in any of the final five games of the regular season, nor did he top 50 total yards on any occasion.
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Bills' Isaiah McKenzie: Low volume in Sunday's win
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McKenzie caught three of five targets for 21 yards while rushing once for seven yards in Sunday's win over the Jets.
McKenzie is an exciting player and has the speed to serve as a spark plug for the Buffalo offense, but he's far from consistent for fantasy purposes. Sunday was the seventh time this season he's gone for 21 receiving yards or less, and his 38-380-4 line in 12 games played is modest. With the Bills signing Cole Beasley on Tuesday, McKenzie may soon have some competition for slot work, plus Jamison Crowder could return this season as well.
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Bills' Isaiah McKenzie: Five catches in Week 13 win
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McKenzie brought in all five targets for 44 yards in the Bills' 24-10 win over the Patriots on Thursday night.
McKenzie checked in third in receptions and second in receiving yards on the night for the Bills, putting together a solid follow-up performance to his 6-96-1 line against the Lions on Thanksgiving Day. The versatile sixth-year pro has at least four catches in three of his past four games, giving him some momentum heading into a critical Week 14 divisional home clash against the Jets a week from Sunday.
McKenzie figures to stay involved in the Bills offense on two fronts: His speed forces any defense to alter its coverage, and the Bills' run game doesn't figure to get a ton of work against New England's dominant front (which is a huge difference from, as an example, their game plan for Week 11 against the Browns). And if the Bills are somehow trailing, McKenzie should run a slew of routes to help up his target share. I'm ready to trust McKenzie again as a flex over Diontae Johnson, Brandin Cooks, Marquez Valdes-Scantling or Cole Kmet.
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Bills' Isaiah McKenzie: Week 13 Waiver Priority List
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We'll find out Thursday if McKenzie's performance in Week 12 at Detroit was fluky or not when the Bills face the Patriots. Against the Lions, McKenzie had six catches for 96 yards and a touchdown on 10 targets. That was more targets and yards than he had in his previous four games combined, and it was his first touchdown since Week 4. He has the potential to be a quality Fantasy contributor playing with Josh Allen, but the Bills obviously haven't used him for a reason. Hopefully he can produce against New England in Week 13, but he's only worth adding for 1 percent of your remaining FAB in deeper leagues.
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Bills' Isaiah McKenzie: Leading receiver in Thursday's win
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McKenzie caught six of 10 targets for 96 yards and a touchdown in Thursday's 28-25 win over the Lions.
The slot receiver led the Bills in receiving yards in the Thanksgiving Day victory, opening the scoring for his club with a 19-yard TD grab late in the first quarter. The 96 yards and 10 targets were season highs for McKenzie, while the touchdown was his first since Week 4 and his fourth of the year. He'll look to make an impact again in an AFC East battle against the Patriots in Week 13.
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Bills' Isaiah McKenzie: Invisible in win Sunday
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McKenzie failed to haul in his only target in Sunday's Week 11 win over the Browns in Detroit.
McKenzie played 37 percent of Buffalo's offensive snaps in the contest, his fewest of the campaign. This was his first game in 2022 during which he's failed to record at least one catch, and he also didn't receive a carry for the first time since Week 6. Meanwhile, Khalil Shakir saw a slight uptick by playing 26 percent of the team's offensive snaps, but he also didn't record a catch (and didn't even see a target). For the time being, Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis are the only Bills wide receivers who can be confidently started in most fantasy formats.
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Bills' Isaiah McKenzie: Recovers from illness
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McKenzie (illness) was a full participant on Friday's practice estimate and doesn't carry an injury designation into Sunday's game against the Browns.
The Bills weren't able to hold practice Friday due to heavy snow in Buffalo, but McKenzie would have been available had they practiced. Assuming the team is able to fly to Detroit to play Sunday's relocated game at Ford Field as planned, McKenzie is poised to take the field without limitations in his usual slot role.
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Bills' Isaiah McKenzie: Misses practice Thursday
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McKenzie (illness) didn't practice Thursday.
McKenzie practiced fully Wednesday, but the wideout's absence from practice Thursday makes his status worth monitoring in advance of Sunday's game against the Browns. If McKenzie is unable to play this weekend, Khalil Shakir would figure to see an uptick in snaps Week 11 while working behind top wideouts Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis.
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Bills' Isaiah McKenzie: Scores on Sunday Night Football
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McKenzie ran twice for two yards, including a seven-yard TD run, in Sunday's win over the Packers. He caught his only target for eight yards.
The touchdown obviously saved his line for those that started McKenzie . He remains fourth or fifth in the pecking order, as tight end Dawson Knox and McKenzie are involved in a modest set of play calls while the bulk of the offense runs through Stefon Diggs, Gabe Davis and Devin Singletary, plus any designed runs for quarterback Josh Allen. McKenzie has already scored four times this campaign, so he's not the worst option in the world if you're fighting the bye week blues, but he'll likely be a hit-or-miss fantasy option for most of the season.
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Bills' Isaiah McKenzie: Catches two passes in win
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McKenzie caught two of five targets for nine yards in Sunday's 24-20 win over the Chiefs.
After missing Week 5 due to a concussion, McKenzie operated as the Bills' No. 3 wideout behind fellow receivers Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis in his return to the field. The 27-year-old returned to his role as the team's primary slot receiver, playing 51 percent of the team's offensive snaps. Rookie receiver Khalil Shakir also saw some work in the slot after an impressive performance in Week 5, playing 21 percent of snaps in Week 6. Heading into a Week 7 bye, McKenzie has scored three touchdowns in five games played. With that said, he has the potential to disappear in certain matchups in an offense flush with playmakers. The veteran will look to get back on track in Week 8 when the Bills host the Packers.
