The Buffalo Bills’ passing game is going to need to look much different in 2024 than it has in the recent past.
Yes, Josh Allen remains one of the premier quarterbacks in the NFL and a potential MVP frontrunner this upcoming season, but, after trading Stefon Diggs to the Houston Texans, Allen’s target hierarchy is going to change significantly.
After all, Diggs and his 644 of Allen’s targets from the past four seasons have moved south the Houston Texans where the dynamic playmaker will now be on the receiving end of passes from second-year quarterback C.J. Stroud.
Meanwhile, in Buffalo, that opens the door for one of the Bills’ emerging stars to have a career-year in 2024.
Why Dalton Kincaid Can Become Josh Allen’s Favorite Target
Dalton Kincaid burst onto the scene as a rookie in 2023, and immediately gained Allen’s trust.
Kincaide, chosen by the Bills with the No. 25 overall pick in the 2023 draft, caught 73 passes for 673 yards with a pair of touchdowns as Buffalo’s third-leading receiver behind Diggs and Gabe Davis.
With both Diggs and Davis elsewhere, Pro Football Focus’ Jonathan Macri makes the argument not only that Kincaid can become Allen’s most prolific weapon in the passing game but is also a breakout star to watch at tight end across the league.
“Outside of delivering a significant amount of touchdowns,” Macri writes for PFF. “For which he’ll have competition in those high-scoring areas of the field between Josh Allen and Dawson Knox, Kincaid should aim to become the Bills top target-earner to greatly exceed his already strong production as a rookie.
“With Diggs gone, and no true alpha wide receiver brought in to replace him, there are a lot of targets and production up for grabs in this Josh Allen-led offense. Kincaid makes the most sense as the next man up with Keon Coleman having long-term potential, but he doesn’t project to hit the ground running in Year 1, and Khalil Shakir — a potential wide receiver breakout — also has his share of competition among similar options at the position. Kincaid has the talent to be the top receiver on the team, and while his 19.6% target rate as a rookie ranked outside the top-10 qualifying tight ends last year, it also means that there is still some unlocked potential for a high-end tight prospect.”
It is entirely possible that Kincaid leverages his built-in trust with Allen, forged during his rookie season by Allen logging a 91.3 passer rating when targeting him, that the young tight end becomes the focal point of the Bills’ passing game.
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