Having a top-10 player at their respective position is an advantageous spot for any professional sports team to be in. It’s an even more encouraging situation when that player ranks among the league’s elite after just one professional campaign.
That’s the exact position that the Buffalo Bills currently find themselves in. The team traded up to select Utah pass catcher Dalton Kincaid in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, who, in turn, immediately produced one of the best stat lines ever constructed by a Buffalo tight end. The 6-foot-4 slot option caught 73 passes for 673 yards and two touchdowns in his rookie season; his 73 catches were the most ever posted by a Bills tight end in a single season, and his 673 receiving yards were only 53 off the most ever tallied by a Buffalo tight end in one campaign (Paul Costas had 726 receiving yards in the 1967 AFL season).
It was a stellar debut campaign that perhaps went nationally overlooked due to the dominance of Detriot Lions rookie tight end Sam LaPorta, but the success of another player is in no way an indictment on Kincaid’s ability. It was a productive year in which the pass catcher not only significantly contributed, but laid a foundation for what is shaping up to be a fruitful professional career; he figures to build atop that foundation as soon as the 2024 campaign, as he projects as quarterback Josh Allen’s primary target following the offseason departures of wide receivers Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis.
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It’s an advantageous scenario for Kincaid, who was already targeted 91 times as a rookie. His situation should result in a bump in production, a sentiment that’s been echoed in CBS Sports writer Jared Dubin’s recent article ranking the top 20 tight ends in the NFL entering the 2024 campaign. The analyst slots Kincaid in at No. 10, citing his opportunity as the primary reason for his placement.
“Kincaid is somewhat similar to [Evan] Engram [No. 11], but a) he’s younger; b) he got his production as a rookie playing only 63% of snaps; and c) he’s probably going to be Josh Allen’s top pass-catcher in 2024,” Dubin wrote. “So while his blocking leaves a lot to be desired and he is basically a large slot receiver, there’s a place for him in our top 10 thanks to the athletic profile and expected role.”
Kincaid is currently the favorite to lead Buffalo in targets this fall given that he’s the team’s returning targets leader from a season ago. The Bills are also losing 241 targets and 152 receptions with the departures of Diggs and Davis; with two of his preferred targets from recent years suddenly gone, one could realistically anticipate Allen looking to Kincaid at an increased clip.
This, combined with his talent, makes him worthy of a place among the top 10 tight ends in the league entering the upcoming campaign. If he’s able to realize his opportunity, expect Kincaid to sit near the top of tight end rankings come this time next year.
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