- Brock Bowers in the middle in a Raiders jersey - Fireworks in the background
- Brock Bowers in the middle in a Raiders jersey - Fireworks in the background
Brock Bowers is rapidly becoming one of the few players in fantasy football who can single-handedly tilt an entire draft strategy. The Las Vegas Raiders tight end has already produced at a historic pace through two NFL seasons. However, his fantasy ceiling could still be significantly higher than anything we have seen. A combination of injuries, quarterback instability and offensive inconsistency limited his 2025 campaign. Still, the underlying talent never disappeared. Now, Klint Kubiak takes over as Las Vegas' head coach and Kirk Cousins provides veteran stability at quarterback. Those mean Bowers enters 2026 with perhaps the most favorable offensive environment of his young career.
Hinting at his ceiling
Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers (89) reacts after catching a touchdown against the Denver Broncos during the first half at Allegiant Stadium
Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Bowers' NFL career began with a performance that immediately rewrote expectations for the tight end position. In 2024, he caught 112 passes for 1,194 yards and five touchdowns across 17 games. That establishing him as one of the league's most productive pass-catchers regardless of position.
His second season was considerably more complicated. A knee injury suffered in the opener eventually limited Bowers to just 12 games. Still, his campaign could not completely suppress his production. He finished 2025 with 64 receptions for 680 yards and seven touchdowns on 86 targets. Across his first two seasons, he has accumulated 176 catches, 1,874 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns in 29 games. That is elite production, period.
The 2025 injury dip
Fantasy football managers looking strictly at Bowers' 2025 counting statistics could make the mistake of believing he regressed. Did he, though? Nope.
The numbers were obvious declines from his spectacular rookie numbers, but the context matters enormously. Bowers missed five games and played through a knee injury that affected him for much of the season. Despite those limitations, he still scored seven touchdowns in 12 contests, one more than he managed in 17 games during his record-setting debut.
More importantly, when Bowers was healthy enough to operate at full speed, the explosion remained obvious. His Week 9 performance against Jacksonville was the clearest example. Bowers erupted for 12 receptions, 127 yards and three touchdowns. He produced the type of fantasy performance that can win an entire matchup almost single-handedly. It was a glimpse of what happens when the Raiders consistently manufacture opportunities for him.
Kubiak's offense
Kubiak is now running the Raiders after serving as Seattle's offensive coordinator during its 2025 championship season. The Seahawks averaged 28.4 points per game, ranked eighth in total offense and set franchise records for points scored and point differential. That does not guarantee Las Vegas will immediately replicate Seattle's production. Still, it does provide a meaningful blueprint. Kubiak's offensive approach emphasizes motion, play-action, wide-zone concepts and formation versatility. Those concepts create exactly the type of space that allows an athletic tight end to exploit linebackers and safeties in coverage.
Bowers, of course, is not a conventional tight end. He can align inline, in the slot or split outside. He can attack the middle of the field, threaten vertically and generate yards after the catch. Kubiak has repeatedly praised his versatility and stressed the importance of getting the most out of him. During OTAs, Kubiak called Bowers a “football robot” and highlighted his ability to succeed regardless of where he lines up.
QB upgrade
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Bowers' fantasy football ceiling is also tied directly to who throws him the football. Kirk Cousins enters the season as Las Vegas' expected starter, with Fernando Mendoza developing behind him. For Bowers, that could be a significant upgrade in consistency. Cousins is a veteran rhythm passer who has extensive experience operating within Kubiak's offensive concepts. Their familiarity should help the Raiders establish timing quickly.
The early evidence is encouraging. During OTAs, Bowers connected with Cousins for a touchdown, while training camp has already featured the two working together prominently. That relationship could be the catalyst that turns Bowers from a high-end fantasy tight end into the position's most dominant weekly weapon.
The projected numbers
A reasonable 2026 baseline for Bowers sits around 96 receptions, more than 1,025 receiving yards and eight touchdowns over a full 17-game season. Those numbers would put him firmly in the conversation with the elite fantasy football wide receivers.
Fantasy managers just need Bowers to dramatically outscore the tight ends available several rounds later in the draft. If Bowers approaches 100 receptions and 1,000 yards while reaching eight touchdowns, he possesses the statistical profile to separate himself from the overwhelming majority of his position. That is especially valuable in leagues where managers are still forced to stream tight ends or settle for touchdown-dependent options.
Reach for the mismatch
Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers (89) reacts after a touchdown against the Los Angeles Chargers during the second half at SoFi Stadium.
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
There is a difference between reaching for a player because you love his talent and reaching because the situation makes his talent significantly more valuable. Bowers falls into the second category. The Raiders have invested heavily in improving the infrastructure around him. Tyler Linderbaum was signed in free agency to anchor the offensive line, while Cousins provides an experienced quarterback capable of operating Kubiak's system. Most importantly, Kubiak has made Bowers a central piece of the offensive vision.
A healthy Bowers in this system could easily approach triple-digit receptions and threaten double-digit touchdowns. That is league-winning territory. Fantasy football managers should therefore resist the temptation to treat Bowers' 2025 numbers as his new normal. They are better viewed as an injury-interrupted season from a player whose first 29 games already produced 176 receptions.