After recording 112 receptions and being named a first-team All-Pro as a rookie in 2024, Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers battled through an injury-marred sophomore campaign in 2025. The 23-year-old was clearly hampered while playing through a knee injury that he suffered in Week 1 and eventually ended the season on Injured Reserve. However, Bowers is reportedly fully healthy heading into 2026. The Raiders should also have a significantly improved offensive environment in the upcoming year, hiring Klint Kubiak as their new head coach and play-caller and revamping their quarterback room with veteran Kirk Cousins and 2026 number one overall pick Fernando Mendoza. Bowers profiles as the clear number one option in the Las Vegas passing game and could have a chance to exceed the 153 targets he earned as a rookie. While Bowers' stock may be slightly down following his disappointing 2025 production, he remains an elite fantasy tight end ahead of 2026
The Las Vegas Raiders are coming off a disappointing 3-14 season that gave them the number one pick in the draft. John Spytek had a chance to change the franchise quickly by grabbing a quarterback and spending money in free agency. Starting with free agency, the Raiders went to work to upgrade the roster. They added talent to a weak offensive line, and Raider Nation feels confident about the linebacker position for the first time in years. Add in the drafting of Fernando Mendoza aand the Silver and Black could have a chance to finally build a contender. ESPN released its annual NFL executive rankings, which showed where the Raiders had upgrades. Of course, Brock Bowers kept the crown as the best tight end in football, and Maxx Crosby was voted as the fourth-best pass rusher. Also, the newcomers were all over the rankings. The Raiders signed Tyler Linderbaum to the biggest contract for a center in NFL history. He was ranked as the eighth-best interior offensive lineman in the NFL. Linebacker Quay Walke r received an honorable mention for his growth as a linebacker who has boosted the position group. These players raised the team’s talent level, and the proof is in the ESPN rankings. Hopefully, the young players on the roster can make a leap, and the team can start to build a football product with a ton of talent
ESPN recently polled NFL coaches and executives to rank the top 10 tight ends going into the 2026 season. Las Vegas Raiders third-year star Brock Bowers was voted as the top player at the position in the league. We ran a FEED post asking our community members if they agree that Bowers is the top tight end in the league after just two NFL seasons are it may be a bit premature. In an overwhelming vote, our readers made it clear Bowers the best tight end in the league in their minds. It’s difficult to argue with that thought. He broke all kinds of record as a rookie and hew as dominant last season despite having a nagging knee injury. I’ve said this before and I’m sure I’ll state often in the future: I truly believe Bowers has a chance to be the best tight end ever to play the game. I don’t say such things lightly, but the kid is a sublime talent, a football robot from heaven if you will. So, go ahead, don’t think Bowers is the best tight end in the league if you wish. You’d just be incorrect, that’s all. You can read the comments on this FEED post here. Sign up for a user account and get: Fewer ads Create community posts Comment on articles, community posts Rec comments, community posts New, improved notifications system!
An offseason of both acknowledgment and rising expectations continues for Bears’ TE Colston Loveland. After being featured among the top 10 players at his position earlier this summer, the 2nd year man can now be found alongside a group of both rookies and veterans poised to make an impact on the retail market. This comes via the NFLPA’s annual “Rising Stars List”, which “forecasts [the] next wave of players expected to drive fan demand and merchandise sales.” As mentioned, the list highlights both rookies and veteran players, with Loveland appearing alongside notable veterans such as Las Vegas Raiders TE Brock Bowers , Buffalo Bills RB James Cook, and New England Patriots DB Christian Gonzalez . Unsurprisingly, the rookie side of the list features a number of highly-drafted players in some big markets, such as Las Vegas Raiders QB Fernando Mendoza, Dallas Cowboys S Caleb Downs , and New York Giants LB Arvell Reese. Loveland’s marketability can be debated, but there’s certainly a strong case to be made in his favor. His strong performance on the field, the home market of Chicago, and the charisma he’s displayed both on and off the field likely serve as the foundation of his place on this list. Heck, he’s even going to be featured in the upcoming Bears-centric Hallmark movie ! This list serves as the latest endorsement of Loveland, and those of us with a rooting interest in the Chicago Bears can only hope that his play in the upcoming season is reflective of all of these offseason expectations. You can check out the full NFLPA Rising Stars List here
The quarterback competition in Las Vegas won’t be a competition if it never becomes one. If it’s a truly open competition, the first overall pick in the draft presumably should be able to beat a 37-year-old veteran who had no clear starting opportunities elsewhere in the league. With all due respect to Kirk Cousins (who has been a very good quarterback and an even better businessman), the first overall pick in any draft should be able to win a full and fair competition with Cousins at this point in his career. (Unless the first overall pick isn’t a quarterback.) One way to keep the veterans on the team from revolting when it comes to the decision to not use Mendoza would be to minimize Mendoza’s chances to show that he’s the better option. Which may explain the recent suggestion from Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated that the Raiders “ will sprinkle Mendoza in with the first team ” during training camp. Of course, if Mendoza makes the most out of the sprinkling, the flow could increase. If a limited apples-to-apples comparison makes it clear to the established players on the team (starting with defensive end Maxx Crosby and tight end Brock Bowers) that Mendoza could be the Johnny Appleseed for a forest of playoff appearances, the mood could shift, quickly. The balance for the Raiders, if they’re committed to keeping Mendoza in the garage for a year, will be to get him practice reps without making it clear that he should get more. And more. And more. The Chiefs pulled it off nine years ago with Patrick Mahomes because they were a perennial playoff team under Alex Smith. The Raiders have been to the playoffs twice since the 2002 season. The players on the team will want the guy who gives them the best chance not to win later, but to win now. Cousins has said the better player should play. As camp prepares to open, the question is whether Mendoza will get much of a chance to prove it — and whether he does enough with the “sprinkling” he gets to force the issue to the front burner
The NFL Players Association released its annual Rising Stars list on Tuesday and the first overall pick of this year’s draft is one of the players at the top. Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza is No. 1 on the list of the 10 rookies that the NFLPA projects to be future members of the Top 50 list of licensed player product sales. There is also a list of 10 players with NFL experience who have not been on the Top 50 and it is topped by Saints quarterback Tyler Shough. Mendoza is followed on the list by Cowboys safety Caleb Downs, Cardinals running back Jeremiyah Love, Titans wide receiver Carnell Tate, Eagles wide receiver Makai Lemon, Commanders linebacker Sonny Styles, Saints wide receiver Jordyn Tyson, Giants linebacker Arvell Reese, Ravens wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane, and Buccaneers edge rusher Rueben Bain. The list of veteran players also includes Bears tight end Colston Loveland, Raiders tight end Brock Bowers, Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker, Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, Buccaneers wide receiver Emeka Egbuka, Cardinals tight end Trey McBride, Dolphins running back De’Von Achane, Bills running back James Cook, and Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez
Chicago Bears tight end Colston Loveland is looking to build off a strong rookie campaign. The 22-year-old registered 58 receptions, 713 receiving yards, and six touchdowns in 16 games with the Bears last season. Like many rookies, Loveland was eased into the mix, but it didn't take him long to surpass Cole Kmet on the depth chart. He's now expected to take on a larger workload with D.J. Moore out of the picture and a full season with Caleb Williams already under his belt. Loveland finished as the TE12 and outside the top-100 last season, but the sky is the limit for him. Brock Bowers and Trey McBride are likely going to be selected ahead of him, but Loveland as the TE3 isn't crazy. The departure of Moore should free up more chances for him in 2026. A finish inside the top-50 seems possible if everything goes right for Loveland next season
Brock Bowers, the Raiders' first-round pick, is set to become eligible for a contract extension next offseason. Given his franchise player status, the Raiders are expected to prioritize extending him. His potential future contract is likely to exceed current deals for tight ends like Kyle Pitts and Brendan Strange, and could approach or surpass the averages of top earners like George Kittle and Trey McBride, potentially reaching $20-22 million per season
As a rookie in 2025, Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty finished as the RB13 despite averaging only 3.7 yards per carry while working behind one of the worst offensive lines in the league. With left tackle Kolton Miller expected back at full health after playing in only four games last season and the team spending big to acquire free agent center Tyler Linderbaum, Jeanty should see a drastic improvement from the abysmal 0.6 yards before contact that he averaged on his 2025 carries. And while new head coach Klint Kubiak spent much of the early offseason espousing the values of a split backfield, the team's actions have done little to suggest that Jeanty's fantasy-friendly volume is in any real jeopardy. The team spent a Day 3 pick on running back Mike Washington Jr., and Vegas does not have a wide receiver on the roster who has ever caught more than 57 passes in a season. For reference, Jeanty caught 55 of his 68 targets as a rookie, and with only tight end Brock Bowers locked in for a healthy pass-catching role ahead of him, he could threaten for triple-digit targets in year two. With better cohesion in 2026, the Raiders offense has the potential to rise to a level just around league-average, and in such a scenario, Jeanty has the bell cow abilities to deliver a league-winning season as RotoBaller's RB7
With Klint Kubiak's offensive scheme emphasizing multiple tight ends, the Raiders' depth at the position is crucial. Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer are expected to be the primary duo, but veteran Ian Thomas could also play a significant role
ESPN's ranking of tight ends, based on input from league executives, coaches, and scouts, placed Jake Ferguson as an honorable mention outside the top 10. While praised for his all-around solid play and high catch volume, Ferguson's fumbling issues were cited as a significant reason for his ranking. All seven of his career fumbles have occurred in the last two seasons and were against NFC opponents
Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers (knee) is "fully healthy" ahead of training camp at the end of July, according to Ryan McFadden of ESPN. Bowers' athletic and pass-catching prowess left veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins "in a state of shock" during the offseason program. The 23-year-old led all TEs in receiving yards (1,194) and set the Raiders record for most catches in a single season (112) as a rookie in 2024, but he finished with just 84 catches, 630 yards, and seven touchdowns in Year 2 due to a knee injury. Now that he's back to full health, the former 13th overall pick from the University of Georgia could finish as the TE1 overall in fantasy again in new head coach Klint Kubiak's offense in 2026. Kubiak has shown the ability to scheme the ball to his best pass-catchers, and Bowers is the Raiders' best pass-catcher. Despite playing through a PCL injury and a bone bruise in his left knee in 2025, Bowers had a 74.4% catch rate, averaged 10.6 yards per catch, and was named to his second Pro Bowl. Heading into Year 3, Bowers is ranked as RotoBaller's top fantasy TE for a reason, and he's not going to come at a discount in fantasy drafts despite his injury-plagued 2025 campaign
Bowers (knee) practiced "at full speed" during OTAs and minicamp, Ryan McFadden of ESPN reports. Bowers was plagued by a knee injury during most of the 2025 campaign and was ultimately placed on IR for the final two weeks of the regular season. However, he's been able to get back to full health during the offseason and has several other factors working in his favor ahead of the 2026 campaign. First, he'll be working with a pair of new quarterbacks in Kirk Cousins and Fernando Mendoza, and Cousins was reportedly enthralled with Bowers during spring workouts. Second, the Raiders brought in Klint Kubiak -- "who has shown the ability to scheme the ball to his best pass catchers" -- as their new coach. Third, Las Vegas currently has an untested WR room, so Bowers is likely to feature at the team's top pass catcher
The Raiders came into 2025 with a plan: Employ Pete Caroll. Bring in as many of his sons as possible. Print money. The first two steps went off without a hitch, but something happened between then and the third step that sent everything off the rails. Now the team is once again searching for answers at head coach and quarterback. 2026 Rotoworld Fantasy Football Team Previews Hub Get ready for 2026 fantasy football drafts with in-depth previews for all 32 teams throughout the summer. Rotoworld Staff , Points per game: 14.2 (32nd) Total yards per game: 245.2 (32nd) Plays per game: 55.8 (32nd) Dropbacks per game: 37.6 (21st) Dropback EPA per play: -0.13 (29th) Designed rush attempts per game: 21 (31st) Rush EPA per play: -0.3 (32nd) The Caroll reunion tour failed miserably. His gamble on Chip Kelly predictably went bust and he brought Geno Smith down with him, though Geno himself was far from up to the task. As expected, Carroll was ousted after going 3-14. Kelly was long gone at this point and the team eventually traded Smith for pennies on the dollar during the offseason, largely as a contract dump. Starting over from square one, the team brought in Seattle OC Klint Kubiak as their next boss. Kubiak saw what Kevin O’Connell did with Sam Darnold in Minnesota and took it to the next level. Including the postseason, Darnold ranked 15th in EPA per play and 12th in PFF passing grade in 2024. Those marks jumped to ninth and eighth in 2025. Quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko followed Kubiak to Vegas, though the latter will be calling plays. Following a Super Bowl run that almost looked easy for the Seahawks, Kubiak was one of the hottest names on the market. Neither his hiring nor that of Janocko was a surprise. The Raiders’ choice at defensive coordinator was a bit unexpected. They promoted from within, elevating defensive line coach Rob Leonard to DC. Vegas’s defense was bad in 2025, but not terrible, ranking 20th in EPA per play allowed. Though it’s hard to say how much Leonard brings to the table, he keeps continuity on his side of the ball. QB: Kirk Cousins , Fernando Mendoza WR: Tre Tucker , Dont’e Thornton WR: Jalen Nailor , Malik Benson WR: Jack Bech , Dareke Young TE: Brock Bowers , Michael Mayer The Raiders have preached patience with No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza and signed Kirk Cousins to a deal that amounts to $20 million over one year. Among 40 qualified quarterbacks, Cousins ranked 27th in EPA per play and 33rd in completion percent over expected. There’s nothing in the data to suggest Cousins has juice left in the tank. I looked. The recent history of No. 1 overall picks also suggests that Cousins won’t be long for this world as the Raiders’ starter. The past six quarterbacks to be drafted first overall have started in Week 1. While Mendoza may be the exception to that rule, the Raiders won’t keep him on the bench long. At 6’4/236, Mendoza looks the part of an NFL quarterback and he has a winning pedigree with a perfect season and a National Championship victory under his belt. He ranked second in PFF passing grade and fifth in both yards per attempt and EPA per dropback in 2025. Though it might not be the most exciting trait, Mendoza’s down-to-down accuracy is world-class. Pro Football Focus charted him with a 69 percent accurate throw rate in 2025. That’s a 91st-percentile mark for all seasons by first-round quarterbacks. Mendoza will likely be tasked with game-manager duties as a rookie, but Kubiak’s scheme could still turn that into QB2 production. Tre Tucker will likely reprise his nominal No. 1 receiver role in 2026. The speedy wideout earned a 19 percent target share with 34 percent of the Raiders’ air yards after Jakobi Meyers was traded last year. That represented a notable increase in air yards compared to his split with Meyers, but Tucker didn’t actually earn more targets over the second half of the season. He was also less efficient without Meyers, dropping from 1.5 yards per route run to .9.
[... truncated ...]
Despite a disappointing sophomore season due to injuries and a shift in offensive scheme, Brock Bowers is expected to bounce back in 2026. New head coach Klint Kubiak's arrival and improved quarterback play with Kirk Cousins and Fernando Mendoza should lead to a rise in targets for Bowers, who is already ranked as the top fantasy tight end by RotoBaller and is being considered a dark horse candidate for Offensive Player of the Year
This early into the new regime, you have to give the Las Vegas Raiders coaching staff this: They come up with some noteworthy and downright hilarious descriptions of their players. First it was head coach and chief offensive play caller Klint Kubiak dubbing elite tight end Brock Bowers a “football robot from heaven”. It was a description that not only the third-year Georgia product enjoyed, but his fellow Raiders found hilarious , too. Then came defensive coordinator Rob Leonard talking up linebacker Quay Walker. “I mean, I see Quay, he’s an Avatar out there,” Leonard began, “He’s a guy that looks like an outside linebacker that can play off the ball, play on the ball, he blitzes. Yeah, he’s a leader. Him and Nakobe (Dean) have been great, and you can definitely feel his presence.” Interestingly enough, the Raiders’ football robot and Avatar are both former Georgia Bulldogs. But aligning to Las Vegas ’ mantra this offseason of being on the same page, Bowers and Walker are expected to be prime examples of the position-less and hybrid philosophy being engrained in the Silver & Black this offseason. Kubiak’s penchant to run different plays out of identical alignments and formations — and mixing in motions and shifts — alongside Leonard’s desire to have his defense to attack by playing aggressive and fast from a multiple-front looks and deceptive blitz packages is what’s consistently talked about this offseason. Walker provided more hints and insights on what that exactly means. “Honestly, man, it’s a lot for offense going in that week ahead of it, so say for instance, it’s week one, and a team is just trying to get us together, whatever the case may be, and they present our defense. We have a lot of guys that played this, play that, they just move around in a lot of areas, so now it’s kind of hard to scout against us and tell what we are doing,” Walker explained when asked what’s the benefit of having defenders play multiple spots on the field. “Say for instance, I’m on the line, you never know if I’m going to drop or if I’m going to rush whether that’s to the field or the boundary. Same thing with (safety Jeremy) Chinn, (edge rusher Kwity (Paye), no matter what the case may be, Maxx (Crosby). Just a whole lot, it kind of helps and play hand in hand with the whole defense I’ll say.” Now, if you have trepidation on the “multiple”, I don’t blame you. My eyebrow raised as that was the same buzzword that Dennis Allen uttered constantly and consistently when he was hired as head coach of the Oakland variant of the Raiders back in 2012. He sought versatility and disguised coverages that showcased fluidity between 4-3 and 3-4 fronts and highlighted aggressiveness and attacking nature. Sounds familiar, no? That’s the same intent Leonard has this coming season. What helps the first-year defensive coordinator that Allen didn’t have as a rookie head coach at the time in 2012 is a well-constructed roster that saw significant salary cap space and assets this offseason used to rebuild the Raiders’ defense. Allen saw himself as the chosen lead man by then-general manager Reggie McKenzie during the chief personnel man’s tear down phase of reshaping the Silver & Black. And saying the cupboard was bare is an understatement. Current GM John Spytek didn’t shop on a discount this offseason and spent coin on free agents Walker (three-year contract worth $40.5 million), fellow linebacker Nakobe Dean (three years, $36.03 million), edge rusher Kwity Paye (three years, $48 million), and re-signing cornerback Eric Stokes (three years, $30 million) and edge rusher Malcolm Koonce (one year, $11 million). Las Vegas also retained edge rusher Maxx Crosby after the failed trade to the Baltimore Ravens , giving Leonard much more talent (and let’s not mess around, name recognition) on his unit that Allen didn’t come close too. Unlike Allen, Leonard is more willing to delve into specifics highlighting not only enthusiasm but the critical-thinking of som
[... truncated ...]
Data comes from cached Sleeper and KTC snapshots. Values update when the sync jobs run.
