Brock Bowers (knee/illness) active vs. Chiefs

Bowers’ 11 targets again led the Raiders on Sunday. He’s now racked up 24 targets over the last two weeks and converted those opportunities into 16 receptions for 202 yards and two touchdowns. Bowers came up big for the Raiders late in the fourth quarter in Sunday’s game against the Chiefs. With the Raiders trailing 30-19 and less than two minutes to go in the game, Kirk Cousins avoided a sack and rolled right in the pocket to find Bowers in the end zone for a 20-yard touchdown, cutting the Chiefs’ lead to 30-25 before Cody White converted a two-point conversion try on the following play. To the surprise of nobody, Bowers has been the top target in head coach Klint Kubiak’s offense. He’ll look to build on his hot start in Week 5 when the Raiders take on the Patriots. It should go without saying that Bowers is a must-play.

Today’s report is in relation to Bowers’ illness, not his knee. Earlier this morning, the Raiders announced that Bowers has come down with an illness, but the illness will not alter his game status. Bowers’ knee was a non-issue last week, and we expect it to be a non-issue again this week. He is good to go for the Raiders’ Week 4 game against the Chiefs. Treat him like an elite TE1, as usual.

Bowers was not on the injury report Wednesday and Thursday. The Raiders limited him on Friday. Last week, he logged two limited sessions before sitting out on Friday. The improvement is encouraging, but it is worth mentioning that the team is still managing his reps during each week’s final practice. He should be treated as an elite TE1, as usual.

Bowers showed no ill effects from his Week 1 meniscus trim, lining up all over the formation and dominating Saints defenders from start to finish. Bowers thrived on out routes and crossers, but also played well as a toe-tapping vertical weapon on the sideline. He muscled through contact on a catch-and-run on the Raiders’ third drive and later made a 20-yard catch, tumbling backward as he secured it on the Raiders’ sixth drive. He scored on an out route from the slot on the Raiders’ ninth drive, bringing the game up to six total tight end touchdowns, tying the NFL’s record. Bowers can be treated as the overall TE1 against the Chiefs next week.

Bowers makes his debut in coach Klint Kubiak’s offense against the Saints today. The two-time Pro Bowl player should be started as a high-end TE1, although it might take a game or two for Bowers to get back into form. That said, it might not. He is an exceptionally talented player who should immediately function as his team’s top target earner.

Bowers will still need to test out his knee during pre-game warmups, but all signs point to him making his 2026 debut later today. The team heavily limited his workload during practice this week and could do so in his first game back from the late offseason meniscus trim. Still, if Bowers is active, fantasy managers have to get him in their lineups.

Bowers did not practice today, but head coach Klint Kubiak said that was part of the team’s plan for managing his injury. Bowers had been limited each of the past two days. It seems plausible given how often he’s being managed at practice that he’d be on a snap count if active, but that’s just our speculation. Kubiak added that the team will not be working Bowers out pre-game like they did ahead of Week 2. Bowers-reliant managers are used to having contingency plans at this point and that will remain the case for Week 3.

This is great to see. Bowers has now participated in three consecutive practices, dating back to last week. We do not yet know his participation level. He has been limited in his last two appearances. Bowers is seemingly on track to play in Week 3 against the Saints. Treat him as an elite TE1 if he takes the field on Sunday.

That makes two consecutive limited sessions for Bowers, who resumed practicing on Friday last week. The Raiders’ star tight end and No. 1 pass catcher is on track to play this week against the Saints and can be treated as an elite TE1, as usual, assuming this is the case. It would be great to see Bowers resume practicing in full tomorrow. Stay tuned.

Rapoport wrote that “there is a good chance” Bowers returns this week as the caption for his NFL Network segment. He used stronger language in the actual segment, telling viewers to “expect” Bowers to be on the field when the Raiders travel to New Orleans for a date with the Saints this week. The Raiders’ top pass catcher should be treated as an elite TE1 upon his return.