ESPN insider offers injury updates on two key Bills pass-catchers entering bye week
The Buffalo faithful will have to wait until Week 13 to again see their beloved Bills take the field, but the team may boast two of its premier pass-catchers upon their ultimate return.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler provided an update on the recoveries of rookie wide receiver Keon Coleman and tight end Dalton Kincaid, who are dealing with wrist and knee injuries, respectively, in a recent article. Though the insider didn’t write that Buffalo definitively expects to have both players back following the conclusion of its Week 12 bye, he did share that neither injury appears to be all too significant.
Related: Why isn’t Bills HC Sean McDermott receiving more NFL Coach of the Year buzz?
“The Bills' bye week comes at an ideal time because it gives injured playmakers Dalton Kincaid (knee) and Keon Coleman (wrist) an extra week to heal,” Fowler wrote. “Getting them back in time for the San Francisco game on Dec. 1 would be huge. Neither injury appears to be a long-term issue.”
Coleman has missed the last two games after suffering a wrist injury late in the Bills’ Week 9 win over the Miami Dolphins. Quarterback Josh Allen targeted him on a deep pass that was broken up by Miami safety Jordan Poyer, with the veteran defender initiating contact with the head and seemingly crushing Coleman’s hand with his helmet. The rookie pass-catcher left the game and was later seen with a taped wrist; head coach Sean McDermott stated shortly after the injury occurred that he was expected to miss several weeks, and a potential Week 13 return would signal a 28-day turnaround from the time of the initial contact.
Kincaid picked up a knee injury early in Buffalo's Week 10 win over the Indianapolis Colts, landing directly on his left knee after diving for an errant pass in the first quarter. Initially designated as questionable, he attempted to return in the second half with a brace on his knee before quickly being downgraded to doubtful and remaining on the sideline. He told reporters after the victory that he did not yet know the extent of his injury; he did not practice at all in the leadup to the team's Week 11 bout with Kansas City.
Neither Coleman nor Kincaid participated in the Bills’ win over the Chiefs, with Buffalo instead generating aerial production through players like Khalil Shakir, Amari Cooper, and Curtis Samuel. While having both pass-catchers back upon the conclusion of the bye week is not a foregone conclusion, neither of their ailments being considered “long-term” is encouraging, and it looks as though both players will be available to the team down the stretch.
— Enjoy free coverage of the Bills from Buffalo Bills on SI —