Buffalo enters their Week 13 road contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers desperately needing offensive reinforcements. Dalton Kincaid has been out since suffering a hamstring injury three weeks ago during the road loss to Miami. Will fantasy football managers see their top-10 tight end return to the lineup?
Dalton Kincaid Injury Update
Kincaid has missed two straight contests, which was expected given the nature of hamstring injuries. He sat out all practice work last week and was ruled out Friday before Buffalo’s Week 11 home victory over Tampa Bay.
The injury occurred during the third quarter of the team’s Week 10 road defeat to Miami when Kincaid visibly grabbed at his hamstring while exiting the field.​
ESPN’s Jordan Schultz labeled him week to week the Monday following the injury, tweeting: “Sources: Bills TE Dalton Kincaid is considered week-to-week with a hamstring injury suffered Sunday vs the Dolphins”.​
Buffalo played Thursday night against Houston on short rest, making Kincaid’s Week 12 absence a foregone conclusion. He did not practice all week. The combination of the hamstring problem and the quick turnaround to Thursday Night Football made his return impossible.​
Head coach Sean McDermott said Friday that Kincaid is improving in his recovery, though he has not appeared close to practicing. Buffalo faces Pittsburgh on November 30, providing Kincaid nearly three weeks to heal from the initial injury.​
Whether Kincaid practices this week remains uncertain, and he could be another week away from game action. Buffalo desperately needs pass-catching help after their embarrassing offensive showing against Houston, where Josh Allen absorbed eight sacks in the 23-19 defeat as the Texans’ defense dominated. Kincaid’s return would provide a much-needed boost to an attack that struggled mightily on Thursday night.
Kincaid is arguably Buffalo’s most reliable pass catcher. It’s close between him and Khalil Shakir for that distinction. The Bills need him back. He will play when healthy.​
Kincaid’s Fantasy Outlook
Kincaid’s snap share has dropped to just 43% through nine games, the lowest mark of his career. However, he’s drawn targets on 26.2% of his routes run, the second-highest rate among tight ends league-wide. He may not run extensive routes, but when he does, Allen looks his way.​
That efficiency has fueled Kincaid averaging 12.2 fantasy points per game despite the restricted usage. His 15.4 yards per reception average ranks among the elite at the position. The production has established him as a weekly TE1 option in fantasy lineups when available.​
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During Kincaid’s absence, Dawson Knox is handling the primary tight end duties for Buffalo with Jackson Hawes mixing in behind him. However, Knox has offered little for fantasy purposes.
Two weeks ago, the Bill scored 44 points. If Knox can’t produce when the Bills score 44 points, fantasy managers don’t need to worry about any Buffalo tight end until Kincaid returns. Knox hasn’t reached 40 receiving yards in any game this season and offers only touchdown-or-bust upside for desperate managers.​
Khalil Shakir remains Allen’s only consistent target in the passing attack with Kincaid sidelined.
