Brock Bowers made an instant impact as a rookie in 2024, setting an NFL rookie record with 112 receptions in a single season. However, his sophomore season has gotten off to a difficult start after suffering a knee injury.
Brock Bowers Injury Update After Week 7
Bowers has missed the last three games for the Raiders due to his knee injury. In four appearances this season, he’s recorded 19 receptions for 225 yards on 27 targets, averaging 11.8 yards per catch.
He returned to practice on Friday ahead of the Raiders’ Week 7 matchup against the reigning AFC champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, but ultimately wasn’t ready to suit up.
After a humiliating 31-0 loss to the Chiefs, Raiders head coach Pete Carroll provided an update on Bowers.
“Raiders HC Pete Carroll told reporters that TE Brock Bowers and WR Jakobi Meyers should return for the Sunday Nov. 2 game against the Jaguars after the team’s bye week,” wrote NFL insider Adam Schefter on X.
Bowers ranks fifth in PFSN’s Tight End Impact metric with an impressive score of 82.1. In his absence, Michael Mayer has stepped into a more prominent role within the Las Vegas offense, becoming a dependable safety valve for quarterback Geno Smith. The former second-round pick out of Notre Dame has battled injuries of his own this season, missing two games due to a concussion.
Mayer made his return in Week 6, playing 92% of offensive snaps and catching five of seven targets for 50 yards and a touchdown. In Week 7 against the Chiefs, the 24-year-old tight end had one reception for 10 yards on two targets.
Bowers’ Fantasy Outlook
Here’s what PFSN’s Kyle Soppe wrote about Bowers’ fantasy outlook before he practiced on Friday:
The knee injury continues to nag Brock Bowers, and the Raiders are staying the course by not forcing a piece they view as part of their future into their lineup.
That’s probably the right move for the franchise, but it’s getting difficult for fantasy managers to swallow. With a Week 8 bye for a team with no real postseason aspirations, it seems very possible that the consensus TE1 from this summer misses another game this week.
I wish I could give you some savvy advice to get you out of this situation, but there’s only so much you can do. At this point, you’re pot-committed and can’t sell him for pennies on the dollar.
Bowers was targeted on 25% of his routes before the injury this season and 25.9% as a rookie. You’re not crazy to want to chase the ceiling … we just need him on the field.
Bowers’ lingering knee injury has created significant uncertainty for both the Raiders and fantasy football managers who invested heavily in the rookie tight end. While the team appears committed to prioritizing his long-term health over immediate returns, fantasy owners face a difficult situation with limited options.
