Brock Bowers was widely viewed as the top tight end to pick up in fantasy. Many eschewed wide receivers and running backs in favor of getting the Las Vegas Raiders star. However, it didn't take long for the move to hit troubled waters. An injury surfaced in the opening hours of the season, in many cases just days after getting added to fantasy rosters.Reports about the tight end's health are mixed, which raises a big question: should managers begin to react as if he won't play in Week 2? Here's the latest information available to help managers make the best decision possible for their team.According to Deepak Chona, a data-driven injury analyst who has been featured on ESPN, NBC, and The Athletic, it all comes down to one factor as to whether the data expects him to be on the field."Brock Bowers - DNP Thurs. Comments reassuring but often misleading. If playing Wk 2, would likely LP Fri. If DNP Fri, data favors 2/3 to sit," he posted.Put simply, like in many cases with players and coaches, what they say at the podium is often more positive than it is behind closed doors. Chona isn't ready to take Bowers' comments at face value.On September 11, Bowers didn't shut the door to playing in Week 2, per Ryan McFadden:"We'll see how its feeling throughout the week, but I'm hoping to play," he said.In other words, it sounds like something he's taking day by day.Brock Bowers injury update: What happened to Raiders TE?The tight end reportedly "twisted his knee" during the Week 1 battle against the New England Patriots. The injury came in the second half of the contest, per CBS Sports. According to Anthony Galaviz of the Fresno Bee on X on September 7, Bowers wanted to return to the contest but was denied.As such, it appears that had it been a more critical game than Week 1, he might have been able to gut it out. This raises hopes that he can get back on the field with an extra day off before a late Monday Night Football Showdown against the 1-0 Los Angeles Chargers.When will Brock Bowers return?Brock Bowers at Las Vegas Raiders v New England Patriots - NFL 2025 - Source: GettyAs of now, there is no concrete return date for Brock Bowers. There appears to be a coin-flip chance of the tight end getting on the field in Week 2, but it is far from guaranteed. At the end of the day, Pete Carroll and the trainers will have the final say. Both already appear to have forced at least a short rehab period for the Las Vegas Raiders tight end, as he has missed some of practice this week.If Bowers can't play in Week 2, the odds appear remarkably high of a return in Week 3 against the 1-1 Washington Commanders. As such, managers might want to put a backup tight end into their starting role and place Bowers on the bench for the moment. If Bowers gets the green light, managers can always switch back.The worst outcome for managers could be to wait until minutes before gametime to check back, forget to do so, and then miss the ability to play any tight end at all.