Dalton Kincaid injury status: Exploring Bills TE's availability for AFC championship game vs Chiefs

If the Bills are to achieve a victory over the Chiefs in the AFC Championship game, Dalton Kincaid could be a crucial offensive weapon for Josh Allen. Buffalo is used to playoff heartbreak, mostly at the hands of Kansas City for the past few years.

This year, these were the two best teams in the AFC and it is not a surprise to see them at this stage. The Chiefs finished 15-2 and were ranked top overall. One of their wins came in Week 18 when they had already locked up the first seed in the conference and rested their starters against Denver.

The other came against the Bills away from home and was their first loss all year. It scuppered their hopes of emulating the 1972 Dolphins as an undefeated champion.

While that dream is over, Kansas City can create its own history if they can win the Super Bowl this year. Doing so will give them an unprecedented third straight title, which has never been achieved since the NFL-AFL merger. Standing in front of them is Buffalo, who defeated them earlier in the season.

However, they know that means nothing because they lost at home in 2023 to the Bills, only to then travel on the road and defeat them in the playoffs.

It promises to be a fascinating matchup and below we look at Dalton Kincaid's status for the game.

Dalton Kincaid AFC Championship Game injury update

The Bills have a significant injury list coming into this AFC Championship game. While the Bills only have four players on the injury report and none with a game designation, Taylor Rapp is already out for the visitors.

Dalton Kincaid has been dealing with a knee injury for the entirety of the playoff run and this week was no different. However, he did not miss any practice and featured in the last two matches against the Broncos and the Ravens. He does not have any game designation and is expected to feature against the Chiefs.

How has Dalton Kincaid performed this season?

Josh Allen entered into this season with many expecting the Bills to lose their grip atop the AFC East. Many such analyses were centered around the loss of top receivers like Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis last offseason. However, the Buffalo quarterback has been better than ever this year and in the MVP conversation.

Amid all this uncertainty, he has been helped at the tight end position by Dalton Kincaid's presence. He set the franchise records for most receptions by a tight end and a rookie in 2023. This year, he has had fewer catches but his averages improved in the regular season.

He finished with 448 yards in 44 receptions at an average of 10.2. That is a yard better than in 2023. He also had two touchdowns this year, the same as his rookie season. However, he did not record any lost fumbles in 2024, showing an improvement in that regard.

However, his playoff performance has been down in his second year compared to his first. Last season, he had 104 in two knockout games and one touchdown. This year, he only has 58 yards and has yet to enter the endzone in the playoffs. That is again a function of how the Bills' offense has changed as he had eight receptions in two matches in the 2023 postseason, whereas he has half that amount in 2024.

Last week against the Ravens, he had his quietest outing with just a single catch for 11 yards. This was identical to his performance in the opening game of the season, after which he went eight straight games with over 30 yards. Buffalo will be looking at a similar production from their tight end in Kansas City.