Bills tight end dealt brutal injury update for 49ers game

The Bills will be down a key weapon for their crucial matchup against the 49ers.

If the Buffalo Bills can defeat the San Francisco 49ers in Week 13, they will officially be crowned the AFC East champions. However, punching their ticket to the playoffs will be much more difficult a key tight end of the field.

The Bills have ruled out Dalton Kincaid for their Sunday Night matchup against the 49ers, via Adam Schefter of ESPN. He is still battling through a knee injury.

Kincaid picked up the injury in the team's Week 10 win over the Indianapolis Colts. He sat out in Week 11 before the Bills' Week 12 bye. Even with the extra week of rest, Kincaid still isn't ready to make his return. While ultimately the team is hopeful to have him back for the playoffs, a Week 14 return would have him fully re-acclimated in the offense before Buffalo's postseason push.

In his absence, the Bills will once again turn to Dawson Knox. When Kincaid was out against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 11, Knox caught four passes for 40 yards. Targeted six times by quarterback Josh Allen, it's clear that Knox should play a big role in the offense. On the season, he has caught 14 passes for 182 yards and a touchdown.

Still, the loss of Kincaid will create a clear hole in the offense. The tight end has caught 34 passes for 356 yards and two touchdowns in 2024. His 59 targets are the second-most on the team.

In terms of offense, the 49ers actually rank higher than the Bills. San Francisco sits fourth in total offense (384.5 yards per game) while Buffalo is in 13 (345.3 YPG). The same goes on the defensive side of the ball, where the 49ers rank sixth (304.3 YPG) compared to the Bills' 15 (329.1).

However, Buffalo comes into the game with a 9-2 record and on a six-game winning streak. San Francisco is 5-6 and on a two-game losing streak.

Losing Dalton Kincaid will be a massive blow. But the Bills are hopeful their strong momentum will help carry them to a win.