Buffalo Bills tight end Dalton Kincaid (86) runs the ball during the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at Highmark Stadium.

Dalton Kincaid should be in a celebratory mood on Sunday.

It's National Tight End Day, but will the Buffalo Bills' tight end be able to participate in the festivities? Kincaid continues to nurse an oblique issue that sidelined him heading into the bye week.

Now coming out of it, the Bills are motivated to avoid a three-game losing streak. Whether or not Kincaid will be there to help remains to be seen, since his status is coming down to the wire.

Kincaid remains the key to unlocking the receiving game in the tight end room and adds another dimension to the Bills' increasingly stoppable offense. Getting him back would go a long way in starting to solve those problems.

Here's the latest on Kincaid before Week 8.

Is Dalton Kincaid playing today?

Kincaid is officially active for the Bills in Week 8 against the Carolina Panthers.

He profiled as a true game-time decision, with clarity on Kincaid's status finally coming when inactive reports were due 90 minutes prior to kickoff.

The tight end has been battling an oblique issue, which sidelined him for the Bills' last game before their bye week. Kincaid was a surprise inactive for that "Monday Night Football" contest after logging three limited practice sessions.

It remains the case after three limited practices before Week 8, though it is notable that Kincaid was able to shed the non-contact jersey in advance of Buffalo's trip to Carolina.

Bills TE depth chart

  • Dalton Kincaid
  • Dawson Knox
  • Jackson Hawes

Kincaid is the clear top receiving option out of Buffalo's tight end room. The volume hasn't always been there for the third-year tight end, but he has three touchdowns in five games and continues to make his presence felt.

Knox and Hawes play more of the secondary role since neither of them are considered receiving threats. In other words, without Kincaid, Buffalo would just turn the lights off on their tight ends in the passing attack.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Is Dalton Kincaid playing today? Latest on Bills TE ahead of Week 8

Reporting by Nick Brinkerhoff, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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