It’s been a weird few days in Las Vegas. The Raiders, without star receiver Davante Adams, held off the Browns for a 20-16 win on Sunday. A few days later, Adams requested a trade, raising questions about the franchise’s direction going forward.
Yet, the strangest occurrence last week may have been Brock Bowers’ ($5,500) disappointing two-catch, 19-yard performance on Sunday, A statistical decline is understandable against a stingy Cleveland defense, but it’s a far cry from the tight end’s first three games in the NFL, when he put up 18 catches for 197 yards.
A bad game or two happens for every TE in football. Bowers immediately getting less work without one of the best wideouts in football is the real head-scratcher. Cleveland wisely made the rookie a priority in coverage, but just three targets is tough to explain. Should Adams get traded in the immediate future, it’s no longer clear which Raider will get an increase in touches.
Las Vegas struggled to throw the ball all game, as quarterback Gardner Minshew II ($5,100) gained only 130 yards through the air. The veteran QB has gotten off to a rough start in 2024, but we saw him lead an above-average offense just last year with the Colts. Should Minshew II turn it around, his young TE figures to play a crucial role.
Look beyond the box score, and there’s still plenty to like about Bowers. He’s second amongst tight ends in targets with 24, trailing only Dallas Goedert. He’s second on the Raiders in target share (17.8%) if you don’t include Adams. Most important is that the rookie is putting himself in a position to succeed. According to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats, Bowers is the only player at any position averaging five yards or more of separation.
Sunday’s game in Denver could be an ugly one; an over/under of 36 points doesn’t scream ‘shootout.’ However, the Broncos‘ defense is fairly generous to tight ends, surrendering the 15th-most points to the position. Fantasy managers should still feel confident rolling out Bowers in Week 5. His talent, role in the Raiders offense, and underlying statistics all point to last week being a bump in the road.
Bowers is at +3500 to win Offensive Rookie of the Year. The Raiders are 3-point underdogs against the Broncos on Sunday.
All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook, lines and odds subject to change.
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