If there was one thing that Las Vegas Raiders fans — and fantasy owners of rookie tight end Brock Bowers — didn’t want, it was another quarterback injury. But here we are.
Two weeks after starting signal-caller Gardner Minshew II went down with a season-ending broken collarbone, his backup, Aidan O’Connell, was carted off with an air cast placed around his left leg. Thankfully for Las Vegas, it wasn’t as serious as it looked, and O’Connell has a chance to play through the bone bruise when the Raiders host the Atlanta Falcons on Monday Night Football.
If O’Connell can’t play, Desmond Ridder would get the start against his former team. Atlanta’s third-round pick in 2022 started 13 games for them last season, completing 64.2% of his passes for 2,836 yards, 12 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He has made four relief appearances for Minshew and O’Connell so far this season, completing 63.6% of his passes for 239 yards and a score.
Still, regardless of who is at quarterback, I like Bowers to put up big numbers on Monday night. The six-foot-four rookie ranks fifth in the NFL this season with 933 receiving yards and should be a strong Pro Bowl and All-Pro contender. He has put up huge games with both Minshew and O’Connell at quarterback, and it’s not like either is an elite signal-caller; Pro Football Focus grades Minshew as the league’s 35th-best quarterback and O’Connell 40th. Ridder showed some flashes of potential as the Falcons’ starter, so he should be capable enough if thrust into the starting role on Monday night.
Besides, the Raiders’ matchup is relatively favorable for Bowers on Monday, whether O’Connell or Ridder is under center. Receivers have found success against Atlanta, hauling in 309 catches, the fourth-most in the league. The Falcons have also been susceptible to scoring plays, having allowed 28 receiving touchdowns so far this season, tied for the most in the NFL. The soft Atlanta defense should provide an opportunity for Bowers — who leads Las Vegas in targets overall and in the red zone — to find the end zone for the fifth time this season.
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