Bills News
Knox Gains Fantasy Value as Dalton Kincaid Ruled vs. Bucs
The Buffalo Bills will be without tight end Dalton Kincaid when they host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. Head coach Sean McDermott confirmed Friday that Kincaid has been ruled out with a hamstring injury sustained during last week’s loss to Miami.
Kincaid suffered the injury in the third quarter of Buffalo’s 30-13 defeat to the Dolphins. He caught two passes for 37 yards before exiting the game. The third-year tight end did not practice all week after being deemed week-to-week with the injury.
“I think it’s going to take everybody,” McDermott said Wednesday when asked about replacing Kincaid. “It’s going to take Dawson and Jackson Hawes stepping up and making plays, which I know they’re extremely capable of doing.”
Dawson Knox will handle the primary tight end duties against Tampa Bay. The veteran has played second fiddle to Kincaid this season but logged more total snaps last year due to Kincaid’s knee injury. Knox has 22 catches for 311 yards and one touchdown across 16 games in 2024.
Jackson Hawes will see increased playing time behind Knox. The Bills drafted the Georgia Tech product in the fifth round specifically for his blocking abilities. Hawes has caught four passes for 54 yards and a touchdown in limited offensive snaps this season. Kincaid’s absence removes Buffalo’s most productive receiver from the lineup. He leads the team with four touchdown catches and ranks second with 448 receiving yards on 29 receptions through eight games. The Bills have leaned heavily on his production in the passing game.
The timing complicates Buffalo’s offensive game plan. Wide receiver Khalil Shakir dealt with ankle and rib injuries this week but is expected to play Sunday. Shakir leads the Bills with 45 receptions for 457 yards and three touchdowns. He practiced in limited fashion Wednesday and Thursday before working fully Friday.
McDermott cleared Shakir for contact during Friday’s session. The slot receiver sustained the injuries during the Miami game but finished with seven catches for 58 yards. His availability provides quarterback Josh Allen with his top target against Tampa Bay’s defense. The Buccaneers rank among the league’s better defenses. Tampa Bay enters Sunday’s matchup at 6-3 after losing to New England. The Bills dropped to 6-3 following the Miami defeat, which snapped their seven-game winning streak against their division rivals.
Buffalo fell behind 16-0 at halftime against the Dolphins. The offense failed to convert a first down until the third quarter. Allen threw for 306 yards and two touchdowns but committed three turnovers as the Bills managed just 13 points.
Kincaid missed one game earlier this season with an oblique injury in Week 6. The Bills used the same rotation of Knox and Hawes during that absence. Knox caught just one pass for 19 yards in Kincaid’s place against Atlanta.
Buffalo has controlled the AFC East for five consecutive seasons. The loss to Miami moved them two games behind New England in the division race. The Bills host Tampa Bay at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday.
