Brock Bowers's Stats, Metrics, Game Logs, Projections & Rankings

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler writes that Las Vegas Raiders first-round rookie tight end Brock Bowers is going to be difficult to keep off the field in 2024. Bowers has been as advertised as a playmaker in training camp while also proving stouter as a run-blocker than anticipated. His versatility has been evident early on. Michael Mayer will be a factor at the position, but Bowers seems inevitable. "Brock is different," head coach Antonio Pierce said. "He's a tight end, because that's what he's labeled as, but he can play all over the field. ... He's even more special with the ball in his hands." The 21-year-old was easily the best TE prospect in this year's draft class and figures to have low-end TE1 value immediately in fantasy as a safety blanket for either QBs Gardner Minshew or Aidan O'Connell. It's possible Bowers will be the team's second leading receiver behind Davante Adams.

The Las Vegas Raiders did select rookie tight end Brock Bowers with the 13th overall pick in April, but he will have to earn a starting role in 2024. Bowers has a dynamic skill set as a pass-catcher and can line up as an in-line tight end, outside receiver or inside as a slot receiver. He has good hands, athleticism and speed, and is adept at picking up yards after the catch. The downside is that he's a little undersized at 6-foot-3, 243 pounds and was a questionable blocker in college at Georgia. Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy's run-first scheme asks a lot out of TEs in the run game, so Bowers will have to make strides there to stay on the field and hold off last year's second-rounder, Michael Mayer. Mayer isn't as explosive as Bowers, but he made substantial growth as a blocker last year and is a talented receiver in his own right. If they both stay healthy, Bowers has the much higher fantasy ceiling.

The Athletic's Vic Tafur writes that it's the Las Vegas Raiders' plan to use more two-tight end sets this year involving rookie first-rounder Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer, who was a second-round selection in 2023. In addition, the Raiders will line up Bowers out wide and behind the quarterback at times to give the defense unique looks. It's not that the Raiders suddenly don't like Mayer now after drafting Bowers in the first round, but they just thought they couldn't pass up on Bowers' explosiveness and even turned down a team trying to trade up for him. While Mayer will still have a role in the offense in his second NFL season, he's going to take a back seat to Bowers in 2024 and will go undrafted in standard 12-team fantasy leagues this fall. Bowers, meanwhile has the potential for a Sam LaPorta-like season in his rookie campaign.

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 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.