Las Vegas Raiders DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Las Vegas Raiders tight end Michael Mayer, who is heading into his second year in the NFL, is excited to work with rookie tight end Brock Bowers, who the Raiders selected in the first round this year. Bowers fell to the Raiders at No. 13 overall. "He's fast. He's got great hands. He can block. He can do it all. I feel like we can both do it all," Mayer said. Mayer wasn't all that involved in the Raiders' offense in his rookie campaign, catching just 27 passes for 304 yards and two touchdowns in 14 games played. Given Bowers' pedigree, Mayer figures to be the No. 2 TE in 2024, even in 12 personnel, which the Raiders ran just 14.2% of the time last year. Unless Bowers misses time due to an injury in his first year in the league, Mayer is going to have a hard time standing out for fantasy managers.

The Las Vegas Raiders signed veteran Gardner Minshew to a two-year, $25 million contract this offseason, yet 2023 fourth-round pick Aidan O'Connell is the early favorite to handle QB1 duties in 2024, according to head coach Antonio Pierce. "Aidan's earned the right to go out there and earn the first snap," Pierce said. "What he's done this offseason -- changing his body, his work ethic, being here every day, blocking out the outside noise. He's not worried about anything. I'm excited." O'Connell replaced Jimmy Garoppolo in the middle of last season and threw for 2,219 yards, 12 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. The team went 5-5 during his 10 starts. Although the job sounds like it's his to lose, Minshew will also likely have the chance to battle for the starting role this offseason. The 27-year-old has thrown for 59 touchdowns and 24 interceptions during his five-year career and has looked like at least a mid-level starter at times. Whoever wins the job will get to throw to Davante Adams, Jakobi Meyers, and Brock Bowers this year, so either could be a solid QB2 in Superflex formats.

The Las Vegas Raiders signed first-round rookie tight end Brock Bowers to a fully guaranteed four-year deal on Thursday that is worth $18.1 million. He'll receive $10 million via a signing bonus and the standard fifth-year team option as a first-round pick. The Raiders held off on reaching for a quarterback in the first round in last month's draft and instead took one of the best players in the entire draft in Bowers at 13th overall. The 21-year-old was the highest-selected tight end since Kyle Pitts in 2021 and is athletic enough as a tight end to play pretty much anywhere on the field. Bowers set a school record at Georgia with 26 touchdowns in his time there and is the complete package. Even with Michael Mayer in town, Bowers should take over as the team's top pass-catching TE in his rookie year.

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Justin Shorter is expected to compete for a depth role in training camp this summer behind wideouts Khalil Shakir, rookie Keon Coleman and veteran Curtis Samuel. Shorter, who was taken in the fifth round last year out of Florida, didn't play at all in his first season in the NFL due to a hamstring injury that landed him on Injured Reserve. The 24-year-old stands at 6-foot-4, 223 pounds and will be competing with the likes of Chase Claypool, Mack Hollins, KJ Hamler, Andy Isabella and Quintez Cephus for the No. 4 role in Buffalo. Shorter will most likely have to contribute on special teams to make that happen, but there's no denying that there is plenty of opportunity in Buffalo's receiver room in 2024 now that both Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis are out of town.

The Las Vegas Raiders didn't take a quarterback in this year's NFL draft, which means QBs Gardner Minshew and Aidan O'Connell are set to compete for the starting job in training camp this summer. The Raiders were rumored to be angling to trade up in the first round of the draft for a franchise signal-caller, but instead they stayed put and took Georgia tight end Brock Bowers with their first-round selection. O'Connell held his own in 2023 when he was thrust into the starting role because of Jimmy Garoppolo's injuries and inconsistency, but Minshew should still be considered the favorite this fall given his experience. The 27-year-old Minshew would be a solid midrange QB2 in fantasy if he wins the starting job after making his first career Pro Bowl in 2023 with the Colts. He threw for a career-high 3,305 yards, 15 TDs and nine interceptions in 17 games (13 starts).