Fantasy Football News

ESPN’s Ryan McFadden writes that “Brock Bowers' connection has looked strong” with QB Kirk Cousins. HC Klint Kubiak named Cousins his starter heading into training camp.

According to ESPN’s Ryan McFadden, Brock Bowers is fully healthy and set up for a potential career year. He impressed everyone from new QB Kirk Cousins to HC Klint Kubiak during OTAs, with his health and talent on full display. Cousins even compared Bowers to Jordan Reed in Washington, whom he called “arguably their best eligible player there.” Reed led the league in PPR points per game in 2015 (17.6).

QB Kirk Cousins agreed to a contract with the Las Vegas Raiders per his agent. With only QB Aidan O'Connell currently on the roster, the Raiders plan to draft QB Fernando Mendoza with the first overall pick. But, HC Klint Kubiak expressed interest in signing a veteran QB to not force Mendoza into the lineup for Week 1. Kubiak coached Cousins for three seasons in Minnesota, so the fit should be easy into Kubiak's offense. Cousins appears to be the perfect fit to start the season and let Mendoza ease into the NFL. Cousins should be the favorite to start Week 1.

Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak intends to work on a deal to become the Raiders’ next head coach after the Super Bowl. Kubiak was the OC for the Saints before heading to the Seahawks. He will now inherit an offense with key young weapons in RB Ashton Jeanty, TE Brock Bowers, and likely QB Fernando Mendoza as the top pick of the 2026 NFL Draft.

The Las Vegas Raiders have fired HC Pete Carroll after on season as the head coach. The 2025 Raiders season was disastrous, with the team going 3-14. Tom Brady is expected to be a major factor in the search for a new head coach.

The Raiders are placing TE Brock Bowers on IR, ending his 2025 season, according to multiple sources. Bowers has battled a knee injury for most of the year and is shutting it down (potentially in part because this weekend's game vs. the Giants could determine who gets the No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft!). His absence leaves Michael Mayer as Vegas' lead TE for the final two games of the season. He posted 5-50-1 and 1-10-0 receiving lines in two games without Bowers earlier this season. Consider Mayer more of a desperation spot starter than reliable Week 17 play vs. the Giants' seventh-ranked TE defense.

Raiders TE Brock Bowers led the team in targets, receptions, and receiving yards in Sunday's loss to the Eagles. But that produced just a 6-28-0 receiving line on eight looks. QB Kenny Pickett threw for a mere 64 yards on 15-of-25 passing in place of the injured Geno Smith. RB Ashton Jeanty was the only other Raider to catch more than two passes.

Raiders rookie WR Jack Bech played a season-high 82% of the snaps in Sunday's loss to the Broncos. He also drew a team-high six targets, catching all of them for 50 yards. That set season highs for Bech in each of those categories. TE Brock Bowers followed with a 4-46 receiving line on five targets. WR Tyler Lockett posted a 3-41 on four targets. WR Tre Tucker caught two of five targets for 24 yards.

Raiders TE Brock Bowers delivered the fantasy points in Sunday's loss to the Chargers, despite limited help from his team. He caught four balls for a game-high 63 yards and the team's only two TDs. Only RB Ashton Jeanty drew more targets. Besides Jeanty and Bowers, WR Tre Tucker and WR Jack Bech were the only other Raiders to catch more than one pass.

Raiders TE Michael Mayer (ankle) is out for Sunday’s game vs. the Chargers. He’s averaged 5.0 targets across his last three healthy games, so his absence is a boost to TE Brock Bowers and WR Tre Tucker.

The Raiders fired OC Chip Kelly. He became the highest-paid coordinator in the NFL back in February and winds up lasting just 11 games. Vegas ranks 31st in points per game (15.0), 30th in total yards per game (268.9) and 30th in offensive EPA (-77.8). In Kelly's defense, QB Geno Smith has played poorly for most of the season, the offensive line is trash, and TE Brock Bowers was banged up for most of the first two months. The QB play and offensive line aren't changing the rest of the way, so Kelly's departure is unlikely to matter for fantasy football purposes. The Raiders have not yet named an interim OC.

Brock Bowers' fantasy owners were feeling good after his monster Week 9. Those warm and fuzzies quickly went away after he managed just one catch for 31 yards in Thursday night's loss to the Broncos. Bowers was simply invisible for much of this game. His lone target in the first quarter fell incomplete. There was another incompletion in Bowers' direction early in the second quarter. He ran away from rookie DB Jahdae Barron on a crossing route later in the second for a 31-yard gain -- Vegas' biggest play of the night. And that was it. Not another target for Bowers over the final 2.5 quarters. His only other touch came on a jet sweep that was blown up for a four-yard loss by EDGE Nick Bonitto.

Brock Bowers' knee seems like it's probably feeling better. The star TE racked up 12 catches for 127 yards, and 3 TDs in Sunday's narrow loss to the Jaguars. That came on a team-high 13 targets, six more than his nearest teammate. It was the first time Bowers had played since Week 4.

Raiders TE Brock Bowers (knee) put in a full week of practice and is not listed on the final injury report for Sunday’s game vs. the Jaguars. He’ll play for the first time since Week 4. Bowers said Wednesday that he’s only “closer” to 100% now, although HC Pete Carroll raved about how he looked in practice this week. Bowers sits a bit lower than usual in the Week 9 TE rankings but remains a strong fantasy start.

Raiders TE Brock Bowers (knee) was a full participant in Wednesday's practice. "The first part of the season was tough [and] not feeling 100%," Bowers said. "But I'm closer now." It's noteworthy that Bowers only said he's "closer" to 100%. The PCL and bone bruise in his left knee might not fully heal until the offseason. That said, an active Bowers would be nearly impossible to leave out of fantasy lineups. He returns for a plus matchup against the Jaguars' 26th-ranked TE defense.

Raiders TE Brock Bowers (knee) is inactive for today’s game vs. the Chiefs. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Saturday night that Bowers is expected back after Vegas’ Week 8 bye. Michael Mayer gets another game as lead TE today after posting a 5-50-1 line on an 80% route rate last week. This matchup is tougher against Kansas City’s fourth-ranked TE defense, but Mayer remains a viable fantasy spot starter.