After 108-yard breakout, Dalton Kincaid injury sidelines him in Week 6

Buffalo entered Monday night banking on its mismatch at tight end—only to learn shortly before kickoff that the mismatch would be in street clothes. After 108-yard breakout, Dalton Kincaid injury sidelines him in Week 6, with the Buffalo Bills ruling out their leading receiver due to an oblique issue ahead of the prime-time trip to Atlanta on Monday, Oct. 13, 2025.

After 108-yard breakout, Dalton Kincaid injury sidelines him in Week 6

Kincaid warmed up pregame but was declared inactive, halting the momentum from his career-best Week 5 performance: six catches for 108 yards against New England. For an offense looking to steady itself after a frustrating divisional loss, the scratch removes a reliable chain-mover and red-zone option from Josh Allen’s toolbox.

What the oblique setback means for Buffalo’s offense

The Bills have increasingly funneled high-leverage targets to Kincaid—third downs, seams against two-high shells, and red-zone option routes—because of his route nuance and hands. Without him, Buffalo likely leans on:

• Dawson Knox as the primary in-line tight end and red-zone body.

• 11 personnel with more snaps for slot/WR depth to replace Kincaid’s middle-of-the-field presence.

• Running back involvement (screens and angle routes) to keep linebackers honest in spaces Kincaid usually occupies.

Expect a modest shift toward boundary isolation and play-action crossers, but the bigger test will be whether Buffalo can still threaten the intermediate middle, where Kincaid’s timing with Allen has been most evident.

The ripple effect on game plan and matchups

Atlanta’s defense has thrived by squeezing explosive passes and rallying to the football. With Kincaid inactive, the Falcons can devote extra resources to outside receivers and bracket concepts that would otherwise be punished by Buffalo’s tight end up the seam. Look for:

• Heavier slot rotations from Atlanta to disrupt option routes.

• Simulated pressures aimed at forcing quicker throws to less favorable matchups.

• Bills counters via bunch sets and motion to manufacture easy releases for Knox and the slot.

Fantasy & betting fallout

Kincaid’s absence meaningfully lowers Buffalo’s middle-field target volume and touchdown equity for tight ends. Dawson Knox receives an immediate snap and red-zone bump, while ancillary receivers see elevated opportunity shares. Josh Allen’s designed runs and scramble drill could absorb some lost first-down production that Kincaid typically provides.

How we got here: the 108-yard surge

The timing is cruel. Just a week removed from that 108-yard breakout—built on option routes, Y-cross variations, and late hands—Kincaid looked poised to cement a sustained usage spike. Instead, After 108-yard breakout, Dalton Kincaid injury sidelines him in Week 6, forcing Buffalo to reconfigure its middle-of-the-field identity on short notice.

What’s next and timelines to watch

Oblique injuries are fickle for pass-catchers, affecting torque at the catch point and fluidity through breaks. Buffalo’s short week into practice will be about pain management and function: can Kincaid resume limited work, or will the team keep him down until he’s closer to full speed? The Bills have depth to weather a one-off absence, but extended time would reshape how defenses game-plan Buffalo between the numbers.

After 108-yard breakout, Dalton Kincaid injury sidelines him in Week 6

Kincaid’s late scratch strips Buffalo of its most consistent possession target just as he was ascending. The Bills can still move the ball, but their margin narrows without the tight end who just posted 108 yards in Week 5. How quickly he returns—and how effectively Buffalo compensates in the interim—will shape the offense’s October trajectory.