Brock Bowers injury status: Will fantasy managers have Raiders TE available for Week 1?

The Las Vegas Raiders selected tight end Brock Bowers in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft in April, but there are now concerns over his fitness for their Week 1 game against the Los Angeles Chargers. Bowers' availability for the start of the season has been in doubt since he sustained a foot injury that has prevented him from practicing for the last three weeks.

The former Georgia Bulldogs tight end played in the first game of the preseason against the Minnesota Vikings, but that was the only time he featured in the preseason because of his foot injury.

Bowers' prolonged absence is a touch alarming for fantasy football managers, but let's examine his odds of suiting up against the Chargers in Week 1.

Should fantasy managers be worried about Raiders' TE?

Brock Bowers featured for the Raiders in Week 1 of the season against the Vikings and showed everybody why the team spent a first-round draft selection on him. The 21-year-old tight end registered two catches for 25 yards in the limited time he spent on the field that day.

However, fans of the Raiders have not been able to see him in action since then because he's carrying a foot injury. Raiders fans and fantasy football managers shouldn't really get worked up about his availability for the season opener, though, as coach Antonio Pierce has said they were only exercising caution with Bowers.

We expect to see Bowers in action for the opening game of the season on Sunday, Sept. 8, against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Brock Bowers' injury update

Antonio Pierce recently responded positively when asked if he believes Brock Bowers will be ready for the season opener.

“Yeah, I feel really good about that, to be honest,” he said. “Just again, I’m going to go back to protecting the young guy. Sometimes you get in the league, you have got to be smart and sometimes you have got to protect them from themselves. So, that’s all it is.”

This remark suggests that Bowers' absence is primarily preventive. We expect the tight end to go back for practice this week as the Raiders get ready for the start of the season.

We'll be monitoring Bowers' practice capacity this week. He will dispel concerns about his availability status for Week 1 if he has returned to full practice by the time the Raiders post their first injury report tomorrow.

Brock Bowers was regarded as the class' top tight end prospect heading into the 2024 NFL draft. If he doesn't suffer any serious injury, he will start playing right away for the Raiders this season.