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When is Brock Bowers coming back? Will Brock Bowers play again this season? Read about Brock Bowers's return date and injury updates for 2026.
Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers was likely the first player selected at his position in most drafts this offseason. Despite an injury-riddled sophomore season, Bowers flashed elite upside as a rookie, which warranted an early second-round pick.
However, news broke that the superstar will miss time after undergoing a meniscus trim, which puts his short-term fantasy value in serious question.
When is Bowers coming back? Will he miss most of the season? Let's dive in!
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Brock Bowers Injury Update for Fantasy Football
Per ESPN's Adam Schefter, Bowers underwent a meniscus trim on Tuesday and is expected to miss a "game or two." Schefter added that the former Georgia Bulldog got "banged up" in camp, and the injury was diagnosed last week, leading to the operation.
While this is not the news fantasy managers want to hear, it appears that, for the time being, he avoided a lengthy absence. As reported, Bowers may miss only a handful of games due to this minor operation.
Bowers missed time with a lingering knee injury in 2025, appearing in only 12 games, which does raise some concerns. However, since the team opted for minor surgery, it suggests the injury wasn't serious and shouldn't keep him off the field for long.
Earlier on Thursday, Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported that Bowers is "probably" not going to play in Week 2. Managers should keep a close eye on his progress as he is likely targeting a return in two weeks.
Brock Bowers Expected to Miss "a Game or Two" After Undergoing Meniscus Trim
https://t.co/yAZDnX8hjT— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) September 9, 2026
Brock Bowers Fantasy Football Outlook
While this news significantly hurts his short-term value, managers should still view Bowers as a high-end asset at tight end. In 2024, Bowers broke out as a rookie, catching an impressive 112 passes (on 153 targets) for 1,194 yards and five touchdowns. In 2025, Bowers played in 12 games and caught 64 passes for 680 yards.
However, he saw his touchdown total increase significantly, as he found the back of the end zone seven times in this limited sample.
Managers who spent high second-round picks on him should continue to stash him across all formats. If he doesn't face a setback, Bowers could miss only this week and be cleared ahead of Week 2. For now, managers should consider picking up this backup, Michael Mayer, who should see a massive role in this passing attack.
Last season, Mayer was a productive plug-and-play option in deeper formats when put into a starting role. In the games in which he logged more than 50 offensive snaps, he averaged a solid 11.8 PPR points per game.
Other waiver-wire options managers should consider include Jaguars tight end Brenton Strange, Dolphins tight end Greg Dulcich, and Rams tight end Terrance Ferguson. Ferguson is a name to keep a close eye on, as he was recently cleared from injury and was noted as a major riser in camp with a clear role to operate as Matthew Stafford's "WR3" behind Puka Nacua and Davante Adams.
Terrance Ferguson is Not Listed on Injury Report https://t.co/KaqHVhre6L
— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) September 8, 2026
Who Should I Start Tool
Compare up to four players and we'll tell you who to start...
Week 1 Player Decisions. Today's focus is on specific players: MarShawn Lloyd, Jadarian Price, Parker Washington, Quentin Johnston, Bhayshul Tuten, Tony Pollard, De'Zhaun Stribling, Mike Evans, Michael Mayer. These are some of the most common searches for fantasy football lineups in Week 1.
Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player name. In the second box, search for the second player name. Compare up to four NFL players at once, and then click the Who To Start? button to see who the recommended starts are based on weekly fantasy football matchups.
Improvements For Who Should I Start? You may have noticed that our 'Who Should I Start?' tool has gotten an overhaul. We've added lots of great features for you to give you as much information as possible to win your fantasy football matchups each week. You'll see NFL player tiles with headshots and bye weeks, stats, projections, strength of schedule, player news, and enhanced search results with data to compare with a slick new interface. We hope you enjoy!
How It Works. Each week, our RotoBaller staff puts together their weekly fantasy football rankings and projections based on their research. That information is the core data that is powering the decision-making in this tool. When you search for player names, you will only see those players who are ranked. If someone is out for the week, they will not appear in the search results.
Scoring Formats. Fantasy football managers play in various types of leagues, and this tool allows you to choose whether it's PPR scoring, Half-PPR scoring, or Standard (Non-PPR) scoring. The second thing you want to do is select the scoring format. There are three small radio buttons (small circle), so click on the scoring format you prefer. The results may vary based on the scoring format you select.
Popular Week 1 Searches. Curious to see some tough lineup decisions for Week 1 (2026)? Below you will find a list of some popular Who Should I Start? searches that RotoBaller readers are looking at this week. Click any of the links to see the result and recommendation.
Popular Week 1 Searches - Start/Sit Player Comparisons
Below are some popular searches and comparisons from our Who To Start tool for Week 1 for Marshawn Lloyd, Jadarian Price, Parker Washington, Quentin Johnston, Bhayshul Tuten, Tony Pollard, De'Zhaun Stribling, Mike Evans, Michael Mayer:
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