Of the eight 2-0 teams in the NFL, the Las Vegas Raiders are arguably the biggest surprise. Las Vegas just earned the first overall pick in the draft prior to the 2026 season, is adjusting a new head coach (Klint Kubiak), and its future franchise quarterback, Fernando Mendoza, isn’t yet ready to play as he adjusts to the speed of the NFL game.
Now, the Raiders have a winnable matchup in Week 3 against the New Orleans Saints, and they might be getting arguably their best player back. Two-time Pro Bowl tight end Brock Bowers, who missed the first two games of the season with a meniscus injury, returned to practice earlier this week, and he’s expected to be listed as questionable for this weekend’s clash in New Orleans.
Bowers is owned in 100% of Yahoo Sports fantasy leagues, but only 53% of users are starting him this week with his injury status up in the air. Below, I’ll break down the latest assessments of his fitness and whether he should be starting.
Results and Usage
Bowers hasn’t taken the field yet this season and only made one catch in preseason, but given that he caught 112 passes for 1,194 yards and five touchdowns as a rookie in 2024 and followed it up with a 64-catch, 680-yard, seven-score effort in 2025 despite missing five games with a series of knee issues, he should have no problem getting back up to speed. Last season, despite Las Vegas’ not having many other dangerous offensive weapons, Bowers averaged 2.9 yards of separation on his routes and gained 1.0 more yards after the catch per reception than expected. He finished the season with a 78.8 PFF grade, which would rank eighth among tight ends so far this season.
In his career, Bowers has caught passes from Gardner Minshew II, Aidan O’Connell, Desmond Ridder, Geno Smith, and Kenny Pickett, so given that context, his production (even in 2025) is pretty remarkable. His 112 catches in 2024 tied the NFL rookie reception record, and he smashed Mike Ditka’s rookie tight end receiving yards record by more than 100. Although his dip in production in 2025 was significant, injuries, quarterback play, and a lackluster offensive line offer an explanation. Despite that, he still finished as TE11 by total points in just 12 games.
Future Outlook
It’s a low bar, but Cousins is the best quarterback Bowers will have played with. This season, Cousins has completed 67.8% of his passes for a league-leading six touchdowns and three interceptions, and he has a passer rating north of 100. He’s also been a slightly above-average quarterback by adjusted net yards per attempt, while Smith last season ranked second-to-last in that stat. Cousins makes poor throws more frequently than Smith does, but as a tight end with a relatively deep average target (for his position), playing with the more aggressive Cousins should help. The team’s offensive line has also seen dramatic leaps, improving from one of the league’s worst units last season to one of its best.
The only real question is health. He practiced on each of Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday in a limited capacity, and the Raiders have not indicated that they intend to limit his snaps if he does play. That wouldn’t be unprecedented; last season, Bowers suffered a PCL sprain in Week 4, missed four weeks, and returned with 12 catches for 127 yards and three touchdowns in Week 9. In his return game, he appeared in 81.3% of Las Vegas’ offensive snaps, only slightly below the 85% mark he averaged as a rookie. PCL sprains and meniscus trims are different injuries, but even if he’s held to a 75% snap share, he should still be able to make an impact.
The Saints should represent a pretty friendly matchup overall. New Orleans has had roughly a league-average defense so far, ranking 15th in passing yards and touchdowns allowed, as well as 15th in FPTS accrued by tight ends. However, the sample size is small, and I’m just not sold that the Saints have enough individual talent in the secondary to contain Bowers. Safety Jonas Sanker has been New Orleans’ primary slot cornerback this season, and he’s managed just a 49.6 coverage grade, which ranks just 56th among 77 qualified safeties. Although he’s limited opponents to a 72.5 passer rating so far this season, quarterbacks racked up a 101.3 mark against him in 2025.
Given the conservative approach that the Raiders have taken in other facets of the game — for instance, in Mendoza’s development — and their surprising start, they wouldn’t put Bowers out there if he weren’t close to ready. I expect him to command at least a 75% snap share, making him a must-start.
