Why Fantasy Football Owners Should Want to Draft Raiders Rookie TE Brock Bowers

Pro Football Focus anticipates Las Vegas Raiders rookie tight end Brock Bowers to be one of the best rookies in fantasy football this coming season.

Apr 26, 2024; Henderson, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers speaks to the media at Intermountain Health Performance Center in Henderson, NV. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports / Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports

The Las Vegas Raiders didn't necessarily plan on coming out of the 2024 NFL Draft with tight end Brock Bowers, but when he was still there at pick No. 13, it was an opportunity they couldn't pass up.

Bowers has been the best tight end in all of college football for the past two seasons, and experts have predicted he won't miss a beat during his transition to the nFL.

Nathan Jahnke of Pro Football Focus recently ranked his fantasy football top 60 dynasty rookies. He had Bowers ranked No. 4, trailing only Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (No. 1), New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers (No. 2) and Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze (No. 3).

Here's what Jahnke had to say about Bowers:

Bowers was the clear-cut top tight end of this draft class.

• Bowers’ 94.1 career receiving grade in the NCAA was the best for any Power 5 tight end of the last 10 years. 
• Kyle Pitts, Dalton Kincaid, T.J. Hockenson, Sam LaPorta and Jake Ferguson are five more tight ends who are among the top-15 in career receiving grade in the NCAA who all finished among the top-13 fantasy tight ends last season.
• Bowers could have moved up these rankings with a better landing spot, but he surprisingly landed with the Raiders.
• Las Vegas took Michael Mayer with the 35th overall pick of the 2023 draft. Mayer’s 90.8 receiving grade in college was the ninth-best.
• Mayer is more of a well-rounded tight end while Bowers is more of a receiver, so if anything this greatly hurts Mayer’s fantasy value and only somewhat hurts Bowers.
• The Raiders ran more than league average last season, and their new offensive coordinator Luke Getsy comes from the Chicago Bears who were the fourth-most run-heavy team last season.
• Las Vegas added Gardner Minshew II in free agency and didn’t address the position in the draft.
• Despite all of this, tight ends who are talented enough can overcome their situation for fantasy football purposes. Trey McBride was an example of this last year, starting the season behind Zach Ertz and without Kyler Murray.

Bowers is a two-time John Mackey Award winner, awarded annually to college football's top tight end. His presence on a Raiders offense that already has a number of receiving threats will allow for Las Vegas to have more freedom in the pass game, as defenses will be overwhelmed by the talent in front of them.

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