When the Pittsburgh Steelers take on the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, the Bills will be without WR Gabe Davis. That may cause some Steelers fans to breathe a sigh of relief after what the receiver did in 2022, catching two touchdowns and accounting for 171 yards receiving with only three receptions.
However, that doesn’t mean that the Bills will be lacking in offensive weapons that can cause damage. When DB Patrick Peterson spoke with the media on Friday, he was asked about the Bills’ rookie TE Dalton Kincaid. Peterson name-dropped a high-profile tight end when speaking about Kincaid, according to video from Steelers.com.
“Kincaid is like a receiver,” Peterson said. “He’s a receiver in a tight-end body. He’s almost like a George Kittle. He can spread ’em out wide, he can run the seven cuts, he can run the digs, he can run the spot over the ball. So he’s one of those elusive receivers, sorry, tight ends that create mismatches… We know that we have our hands full because he is a target that Josh (Allen) really trusts and believes in.”
Kincaid was drafted in the first round of the 2023 NFL draft by the Bills and has played in 16 games this season with 11 starts. He averages 9.2 yards per reception with 673 yards on 73 catches with two receiving touchdowns. The last two weeks have been two of his best performances despite being kept out of the end zone. He had four catches for 87 yards against the New England Patriots (21.8 yards per reception) in Week 17 and then followed that up with seven catches for 84 yards (12 yards per catch) against the Miami Dolphins.
As Peterson said, the Bills will split Kincaid out into the slot where he can be freed up from some of the contact coming off the end of the line. He also shows an ability to settle into zones and adjust to off-target throws, like on the catch below against the New York Jets.
Now, is Kincaid anywhere near Kittle’s level? No. However, if you compare rookie seasons, Kincaid had more receptions and more yards than Kittle (Kittle did have a higher yards-per-reception average at 12, though.) The stylistic point still stands. Kincaid is a receiving tight end who can threaten defenses in the intermediate area and has good hands.
The Steelers will be glad to have S Minkah Fitzpatrick back in the fold on Sunday to help keep an eye on Kincaid. Especially with Davis out, the Bills will be relying on Kincaid to help fill that void in the offense. Fitzpatrick has the veteran know-how and the athletic ability to help keep opposing tight ends in check, so his presence will be welcome.
