The Buffalo Bills’ playoff push heads to Pittsburgh with a key pass catcher inching back. Dalton Kincaid has missed two games with a hamstring strain suffered in Week 10, and after opening this week as a non-participant, he returned to limited practice on Thursday.
The Bills have not assigned a game status yet, leaving his availability to be decided after Friday’s session and the 90-minute inactives window on Sunday.
What Is the Latest on Dalton Kincaid’s Hamstring Injury?
Kincaid exited in the third quarter against the Miami Dolphins in Week 10 after suffering a hamstring injury, a soft-tissue injury that the Bills have historically managed cautiously. He was held out entirely the past two weeks and did not practice on Wednesday to start Week 13.
On Thursday, Kincaid logged limited participation, his first on-field work since the strain, signaling progress but not a full clearance. McDermott outlined the approach: “We’ll see. There’s a chance. We’ll just take it one at a time here,” reinforcing that Friday’s work and post-practice evaluation will drive the final call.
Kincaid is officially listed as questionable for Week 13. On Saturday, NFL insider Adam Schefter dropped an update which likely means the Bills tight end is unlikely to play on Sunday. “With Dalton Kincaid listed as questionable for Sunday due to a hamstring injury, the Bills elevated TE Keleki Latu to their active roster for Sunday’s game vs. the Steelers,” he wrote on X.
Until he stacks consecutive practices, the club will keep options open at tight end and in 11-personnel route distributions. Currently, the Bills rank 6th with a grade (B) on PFSN’s Offense Impact Metrics.
Will Kincaid Play Against the Steelers in Week 13?
As of Saturday morning, Kincaid’s status is a game-time decision. If active, usage would likely be calibrated, involving scripted early routes, red-zone concepts, and monitoring of in-game responses, rather than an immediate full workload.
The team’s recent pattern suggests they won’t rush him, and the Week 14 game at home versus the Cincinnati Bengals offers a logical return window with an extra week of recovery.
MORE: 7-Round 2026 NFL Mock Draft
Kincaid’s season line underscores his efficiency, with 29 receptions on 36 targets for 448 yards and four touchdowns (56.0 yards per game).
Despite a modest snap share, he’s been targeted on over a quarter of his routes, reflecting a strong rapport with Josh Allen. That target efficiency shapes Buffalo’s passing structure on third down and in the red zone. If Kincaid sits again, expect the Bills to continue leveraging their receiver rotation while preserving his ramp for Week 14.
Buffalo Bills’ Insights for Week 13
Team:Â The Bills have lost three of their last four road games.
QB: Josh Allen has thrown nine interceptions in the last eight games. He had thrown six in the previous 20 games dating back to the start of the 2024 season.
Offense: The Bills’ OFFi in Week 12 (62.9, D-) was the second-lowest in a game started by Josh Allen. The lowest was in 2018 when Buffalo scored an OFFi of 58.3 (F) against the Packers in Allen’s third career start.
Defense:Â Buffalo has the 13th-best DEFi (78.0) this season after finishing 19th (72.6) last season.
Fantasy: Since 2021, Josh Allen has never gone consecutive games without throwing a touchdown pass. The last time Allen did not throw or rush for a touchdown in consecutive games was…never. Allen did not throw or rush for a touchdown last week. The Steelers allow the sixth-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks.
