Las Vegas Raiders

Las Vegas Raiders' first-round tight end Brock Bowers (foot) is off the injury report and ready to make his NFL debut this Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers. After limited participation in practice on Wednesday and Thursday, Bowers was a full participant on Friday, confirming his availability for the game. Bowers, selected in the 2024 first round, is expected to be a key target in the Raiders' passing game, including WRs Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers, as well as fellow TE Michael Mayer, a 2023 second-round pick. Known for his impressive college career at Georgia, where he had three consecutive seasons with over 50 catches, Bowers is regarded as one of the top tight end prospects to enter the NFL. With a favorable matchup against the Chargers' relatively weaker linebackers, Bowers' ability to read coverages and excel after the catch makes him a strong start for Week 1.

Las Vegas Raiders rookie first-round tight end Brock Bowers (foot) was once again limited in practice on Thursday leading up to the Week 1 contest on Sunday against the division-rival Los Angeles Chargers at Sofi Stadium. The Raiders are just being cautious with their young tight end, as head coach Antonio Pierce has said that he fully expects Bowers to suit up this weekend for his regular-season NFL debut. The 21-year-old from Georgia certainly has a high ceiling at the next level, but he could get off to a slow start with last year's second-rounder, Michael Mayer, also expected to be utilized in this offense. Fantasy managers expecting Bowers to be this year's Sam LaPorta might be very disappointed, but he will still be on the TE1/2 borderline in Week 1 against the Bolts for his yards-after-the-catch prowess with the football in his hands.

Las Vegas Raiders running back Zamir White has been the heavy favorite to be the team's starter this season after losing Josh Jacobs in free agency. Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy said, "You're looking for someone to take the lead," when asked about the possibility of White being the featured running back this season. White was a top-10 running back during the four contests Jacobs missed last year, averaging 21 rushing attempts and nearly 100 yards per game. Some fantasy players were worried that the third-year player wouldn't have a featured role in 2024, given how late he played in some preseason games. However, White is the most likely candidate to be the featured guy in the Las Vegas backfield. The former Georgia star is a low-end RB2 with a safe floor for his Week 1 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers (foot) will play against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, according to head coach Antonio Pierce. The rookie first-round pick missed a significant chunk of preseason and training camp while working through his foot issue. That may delay a potential breakout, as he was unable to play any preseason snaps with starting quarterback Gardner Minshew II. Bowers is one of the best tight end prospects to enter the NFL in the last decade. However, due to the pessimistic outlook of the Las Vegas offense, Bowers is at the bottom of the TE1 rankings in Week 1 and for the 2024 season as a whole. Fantasy managers will need to practice patience with the back-to-back John Mackey Award winner.

Las Vegas Raiders rookie tight end Brock Bowers did not play any snaps alongside quarterback Gardner Minshew II during the preseason, according to fantasy football analyst Jacob Gibbs. This is significant because Minshew was named the Raiders' starting quarterback, and it would have been ideal for Bowers to get some game action with him before the regular season kicked off. That wasn't the case, but there's still time for them to establish a rapport during practice leading up to Week 1 and early in the regular season. Bowers is still a generational talent at tight end and should be treated as such. He's a first-round pick in dynasty leagues and a fringe top-12 fantasy tight end in redraft leagues.