Brock Bowers (knee) DNP Wednesday

Bowers returned to the practice field Friday but apparently needs more time before he returns from his meniscectomy surgery performed less than two weeks ago. Michael Mayer will once again serve as the primary tight end after ranking second on the team in route rate while leading the team in targets (seven) against the Dolphins in Week 1. Continue to start Mayer as a locked-in TE1 for as long as Bowers remains sidelined.

The team has yet to release an official injury designation for the talented tight end, but his return to the practice field leaves the door open for a potential return to the game-day roster. Head coach Klint Kubiak continues to be adamant that Bowers would not miss extended time, something that seemed ridiculous throughout the week but now gains traction with Bowers returning to practice. Fantasy managers will want to wait until an official designation is passed by the team before solidifying their plans for Week 2. Bowers would immediately return to a top-tier TE1 against the Chargers, if active.

Every once in a while we’ll get a surprise limited session out of one of these, but it sure looks like Bowers is trending towards questionable-at-best on Friday’s final injury report. The star tight end is trying to come back from a meniscus trim. If he does not play, Michael Mayer will likely pick up the majority of the slack at tight end and be a reasonable streamer TE for Week 2 against the Chargers.

The fact that Bowers isn’t expected to practice today suggests Week 2 is not on the table. Bowers underwent a meniscus trim just before the start of the season and missed Week 1. According to Graziano’s sources, “The team felt he could have played last week if necessary.” That would have been an absurdly quick turnaround for a meniscus trim procedure, though Bowers is already known as a player who tries to push through serious injuries. Graziano added that the latest he thinks Bowers will play is Week 4, which is good news for fantasy managers. Michael Mayer will continue to start in his place until Bowers returns.

It’s Week 2 and we legitimately have no idea what to believe about Brock Bowers’ health. We’ll be monitoring the practices, of course. Adam Schefter reported that the Raiders believe there’s a “realistic chance” that Bowers will only miss one game after a meniscus trim. We’ll see how it goes. Michael Mayer’s newfound fantasy value, as well as Ashton Jeanty’s pass-catching prowess, are likely tied to what the answer is as well as the Raiders prepare for the Chargers.

Raiders veteran TE Michael Mayer starts in Bowers’ stead after signing a lucrative contract extension on Saturday. Mayer should be treated as a TE1 this week. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported this morning that the Raiders “believe there’s a realistic chance” Bowers can play in Week 1 against the Chargers despite undergoing a meniscus trim on Tuesday. It would be a quick turnaround, especially with the Mayer at the ready, but we shall see how things pan out. O’Connell will serve as the emergency third quarterback today.

Bowers underwent a meniscus trim on Tuesday after getting banged up in training camp. It would be a surprisingly quick turnaround for Bowers, especially after he dealt with knee issues throughout the 2025 season. As long as it doesn’t affect his play, fantasy managers will be thrilled to get their superstar tight end back after just one week. In the meantime, Michael Mayer will start in his place. Mayer profiles as a mid-range TE2 for Week 1 versus the Dolphins.

Earlier today, Raiders coach Klint Kubiak said he was initially optimistic that Bowers could play in Week 1, even after undergoing a recent meniscus trim, which is surprising. Kubiak, however, declined to discuss an updated return timeline for his star tight end. We do not yet know when he is expected back. In the meantime, Michael Mayer is a TE1 this week.

Even though Schefter was the first to report that Bowers was expected to miss a game or two, he’s seemingly walking that back now. Speaking on The Pat McAfee Show, he went on to say that a player dealing with this type of injury is always going to downplay the severity. Schefter also noted that even if Bowers is back in two weeks, it’s not realistic to expect him at full strength in two weeks. Long story short, Schefter is casting a lot of doubt on both the timeline for Bowers to return and his ability to produce when he comes back. Bowers has been dealing with knee issues since the start of the 2025 season, and this unexpected setback could not have come at a worse time. Michael Mayer will start until he is healthy. Mayer begins the year as a mid-range TE2 versus Miami.

Raiders No. 2 TE Michael Mayer should be added wherever available. On the plus side, this does not appear to be a long-term absence, but missing Bowers for a couple of games is obviously concerning. According to Schefter, Bowers “got banged up ‘a little in camp’ and the injury was diagnosed last week.” With any luck, fantasy managers can expect to get their TE1 back for the Raiders’ Week 3 game against the Saints. Mayer is a TE1 in the meantime.