The Buffalo Bills moved into firm control of the AFC East last Sunday with a 33-30 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders, moving to 5-1 to start the season.
The Bills face a potentially tough test on Sunday when they host the Baltimore Ravens, with the possible return of two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson.
Making their situation even stickier, the Bills announced a concerning injury update on a key member of their offense on Wednesday.
Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid was limited in practice Wednesday with a chest injury ahead of Sunday’s game against the Ravens.
Kincaid practiced in a red non-contact jersey, and with Buffalo leaning on him as its leader in receiving yards, his availability against Baltimore now clouds the week’s preparation.
Kincaid turned 27 on Oct. 18, the same day he got hurt. A Las Vegas native who attended Faith Lutheran High School, he started his college career at San Diego in 2018 and moved on to Utah in 2020. His 2022 season there produced 70 catches for 890 yards and eight touchdowns, and earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors.
Buffalo drafted him 25th overall in 2023. He made the 2025 Pro Bowl as a replacement. Across 47 career games, Kincaid has recorded 179 catches for 2,007 yards and 10 touchdowns.
But health has often been an issue for Kincaid. He caught 73 passes for 673 yards in 16 games as a rookie, then 44 for 448 over 13 games in 2024 amid knee and PCL problems. Last season he posted 39 catches for 571 yards and a career-high five touchdowns in 12 games, missing time with hamstring and knee issues.
Dalton Kincaid’s Chest Injury Timeline
The injury dates to Week 6. In the third quarter of Buffalo’s win over the Las Vegas Raiders, Kincaid made a catch and landed on the ball, striking the right side of his chest around the 10:47 mark. He stayed in briefly, then walked off holding his midsection, stopped at the medical tent and headed to the locker room.
The Bills listed him as questionable to return with a ribs injury, according to the team. He came back in the fourth quarter with about 8:01 remaining and finished the game.
Wednesday’s injury report, the first after Buffalo’s Week 7 bye, changed the designation from ribs to chest. Kincaid has not missed a game this season.
A limited practice does not rule him out. Kincaid returned and finished the Raiders game, and the bye week added extra recovery time. Final word comes with Thursday and Friday practice reports and Saturday game designations.
Dalton Kincaid’s Production for the Bills
Through six games, Kincaid has 23 receptions on 29 targets for 315 yards and one touchdown, an average of 13.7 yards per catch. That yardage tops the Bills’ roster.
He opened with five catches for 130 yards at Houston, then posted seven for 95 and a touchdown against Detroit. Target volume dipped through the middle of the schedule, and he managed seven catches for 38 yards against the Raiders, his lowest yards per catch of the season.
His catch rate sits near 79%, and Buffalo has used him both as a traditional tight end and in receiver-style alignments. He has played in all six games, so Sunday would mark his seventh appearance.
Without him, Buffalo loses its leading receiver by yards and a pass catcher who lines up in several spots. Josh Allen would spread those targets among the remaining receivers and backs, and the receiver-style snaps Kincaid takes would shift to other players. The Bills would also need another tight end to handle his in-line work.
The Bills and Ravens meet Sunday, Nov. 1. Kincaid’s participation in Thursday and Friday practices will show whether the red jersey stays on and how much work he handles.
Bills Announce Concerning Dalton Kincaid Injury Update Before Ravens Game