Projecting Dalton Kincaid’s 2024 Buffalo Bills Stats

When the Buffalo Bills traded Dalton Kincaid in the 2023 NFL Draft, there was confusion as to what Brandon Beane was up to. Veteran tight end Dawson Knox had just been given a four-year contract extension ahead of the 2022 season and the Bills had other pressing needs. Instead, Beane opted to go with the best player available in Kincaid. While the tight end may not have been the most popular pick, Kincaid was considered the best tight end in that draft class, so giving Josh Allen another weapon wasn’t the worst idea.

In an offense that has had its ups and downs, Kincaid has improved every week. He finished in the top 10 in receiving yards as a tight end, and was second in receiving yards among rookies behind Sam LaPorta. Buffalo’s offense in the first half of the season was so focused on getting the ball to Stefon Diggs that Kincaid still managed to find a role in the Bills’ offense. He was targeted 91 times and had 73 receptions for 673 yards and two touchdowns.

The Bills’ offense is going to be different next season than it has ever been before. There’s reason to believe Kincaid will be Josh Allen’s favorite target in the passing game. Over Buffalo’s final four games of the season (including both playoff games), Kincaid has had no fewer than five targets and has averaged 16 yards per reception over that span.

As it stands, the Bills don’t have a No. 1 receiver, and there’s no reason Kincaid can’t become Buffalo’s version of Travis Kelce. He’s taken over from Dawson Knox as the starter and is a bigger threat than Knox as a receiver. Kincaid topped 600 receiving yards as a rookie, while Knox has yet to reach 600 yards in a season.

It’s hard to make a bold prediction that Kincaid will be the best tight end in 2024, but he has the skills to put himself in the conversation as one of the best in the game early in his career. He built great chemistry with Allen and thrived once Joe Brady took over the offense. Bills fans should be excited to see the second-year tight end grow into a household name as one of the best tight ends in the league.