Buffalo Bills TE Dalton Kincaid primed to breakout as one of the elite in Year 2

When it comes to tight ends to watch in 2024, there is a very good one up in Buffalo.  Following a solid rookie season in the NFL, Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid is primed and ready to take another leap in Year 2.

Selected with the No. 25 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Utah product is a move tight end who showcased the route running ability and above average athleticism that made him the top tight end in that draft class.  He was overshadowed by Detroit Lions tight end Sam Laporta, but Kincaid’s production wasn’t anything to sneeze at in his rookie season.

Dalton Kincaid on the brink of really breaking out in Year 2 in the NFL

In an offense commanded by Josh Allen and anchored by All Pro wide receiver Stefon Diggs, Kincaid had a solid season with 73 catches for 673 receiving yards and two touchdowns.  Still, it felt like he underperformed a bit which has him motivated to make a bigger step in his second season in the NFL.

With Diggs and Gabriel Davis gone from the Bills’ offense, Kincaid has a big opportunity to step up as one of the team’s prime playmaking targets.  He does have another young tight end beside him in Dawson Knox, but ultimately it is Kincaid who has a chance to emerge as Allen’s top target given his route running and athletic size as a tight end.  In looking for ways to improve, Kincaid was focused this offseason on getting better against press coverage.

"Press (coverage) was a big one for me, press and man, getting better in those facets of the game," Kincaid said, via the team’s official website. "Especially with guys coming up and trying to press you, slow you off and kind of throw off your rhythm and routes. So that was the biggest emphasis for me besides lifting weights and getting stronger."

Kincaid should see more of that in 2024 unless Bills receivers like Khalil Shakir and 2024 NFL Draft second-round pick Keon Coleman breakout as receivers on the outside.  Even if they don’t and Kincaid is the opposing defenses primary focus, his understanding of the Bills’ offense going into Year 2 should allow him to still grow as a matchup nightmare.  Speaking of Shakir, the third-year receiver is excited to see the growth within Kincaid.

"He's amazing," wide receiver Khalil Shakir said of Kincaid. "Just his feel for the game. And, even in the run game, just him making blocks. Sometimes the transition can be a little tricky from college to the NFL. And he stepped right into the fire and was going crazy and dealt with it like a professional."

What to expect for Kincaid in the 2024 NFL season?

Expect the second-year tight end to be featured more by offensive coordinator Joe Brady and his 12 personal schemes where he will take advantage of the skillset of both Kincaid and Knox.  As long as both stay healthy, the versatility each brings to the offense could set the tone for one of the top tight end duos in the NFL.  It will start with Kincaid who could threaten 1,000 yards receiving season and establish himself as one of the elite pass-catching tight ends in the league.

In what could easily be a season in which he takes a step back, expect the opposite for Kincaid who has the right mindset entering Year 2 of his NFL career.