Dalton

Kincaid

Kincaid will be active for the first time since Week 10. The Bills can certainly use him with Josh Palmer (ankle) out, and their WR corps lacking consistent producers. Kincaid was the Bills’ most reliable receiving option prior to injury, and with snow falling in this one, he could be heavily targeted over the middle of the field. For what it’s worth, Bills beat writer Joe Buscaglia predicted that Kincaid would play under 50% of the snaps today but would be on the field in most passing situations. Kincaid is probably somebody you want to start unless you have a locked in top five TE option.

When a player is ready to go, Schefter and most other reporters will say they are “expected to play.” That Schefter didn’t use those words means Kincaid still has some hurdles to clear before getting the green light. The team will likely test out his hamstring and knee during warmups before making a final call. Assuming all goes well, Kincaid will return for a game teeming without shootout potential. Even in his first game since Week 10, Kincaid will push for a TE1 ranking.

McDermott said he would need to see Kincaid look “functional” to play. It’s hard to know what that means, given Kincaid’s limited status in practice over the last two weeks, but it sounds like the third-year tight end will be truly questionable ahead of Week 14’s game against the Bengals. If he’s not ruled out before Sunday, fantasy managers will want to check Kincaid’s status when inactives are released 90 minutes before kickoff. Dawson Knox would again see the majority of snaps if Kincaid is unable to go, but he shouldn’t be viewed as anything more than a boom-or-bust TE2. In addition to Kincaid, McDermott also said RT Spencer Brown (shoulder) would be listed as questionable.

It’s a good sign for Kincaid that he was able to string a pair of practices in a row together. And play he will for fantasy managers if he’s healthy, because the Bengals defense was designed in a lab to increase tight end production for their opponents. Kincaid seems likely to at least hit the questionable line on Thursday.

A hamstring strain kept Kincaid sidelined in Weeks 11-13. He resumed practicing in a limited capacity on Thursday last week. While he opened Week 14 practices with a limited designation as well, the team now lists him with both hamstring and knee injuries on the official report. Kincaid was plagued by a PCL sprain in his knee last season. Hopefully, this is a non-issue and he can retake the field on game day this weekend. Unfortunately, he may have suffered the knee injury during today’s practice, postponing his return. Stay tuned.

It’s a good sign that Kincaid could finally return to the Buffalo offense in Week 14 against the Bengals, a defense that has been tormented by opposing tight ends all year. No defense allows more tight end receptions, targets, yards, or touchdowns than the Bengals. If Kincaid suits up for Week 14, he’ll be a must play option in all formats. Kincaid in 2025 has been targeted on 27 percent of his routes, the highest rate in the league among tight ends. Dawson Knox would be an excellent streamer if Kincaid is sidelined.

The Bills offense could really use Kincaid back right now, but it seems like they’ll have to wait for Week 14 against the Bengals at the earliest. That would seem to be a good landing spot for Kincaid, who was putting together a career-best season before this hamstring injury.

Kincaid returned to practice on Thursday after being a DNP on Wednesday, and will presumably log another practice on Friday to earn this questionable tag. Fantasy managers banking on his return will want to check the Bills’ inactives 90 minutes before kickoff to ensure Kincaid is active, but he’s clearly nearing a return after missing the last two weeks. Kincaid has yet to top six targets in any game this season, but has two 100-yard performances to his name and has found the end zone in four of his eight games played. If active, he’ll profile as a low-end TE1.

Finally, a positive update. Kincaid strained a hamstring in Week 10 against the Dolphins and has been unable to practice ever since. Today’s limited session does not guarantee he suits up in Week 13 against the Steelers. It could indicate the opposite, as he has not yet been cleared to practice fully. But it is a positive development nonetheless. If he can resume practicing in full tomorrow, he has a shot. Expect a return in Week 14 against a Bengals defense that has given up 962 receiving yards to opposing tight ends. They are the only defense to allow 800 or more.

Kincaid could be on his way to missing yet another game while recovering from a hamstring injury. With Kincaid sidelined, Dawson Knox will function as the team’s TE1. Knox has run a route on 76 percent of the Bills’ drop backs over the past two weeks and have four catches on seven targets. He’s viable in deeper fantasy formats if Kincaid misses Buffalo’s Week 13 game against the Steelers.