Jan 5, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers (89) catches the ball in the second half against the Los Angeles Chargers at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Brock Bowers is the Clear TE1 for 2025 Fantasy Football

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Andy Quach | Last updated Aug 11, 2025 6:00 PM ET

The Las Vegas Raiders weren't exactly expected to be a fantasy football powerhouse team in the 2024 NFL season. There were a lot of question marks along the offense, starting with how last year's starting quarterback Gardner Minshew II would perform.

Between their shaky offensive line, lack of reliable weapons, and porous defense on the other side of the ball, he played as well as one could expect from a would-be backup quarterback. Still, the Raiders managed to produce a few notable fantasy options, including Jakobi Meyers and Alexander Mattison.

Of course, the standout from Las Vegas was rookie tight end Brock Bowers, who wound up finishing as the highest total scoring tight end in full-PPR leagues last season. His first year has vaulted his reputation as a fantasy target, and he's deserved every bit of acclaim he's garnered so far in drafts.

Brock Bowers leading all tight ends in 2025 fantasy football drafts

His 2024 performance has earned Brock Bowers the status of TE1 so far in fantasy football drafts for the 2025 NFL season. Not only is he leading his position, but he's going in the first two rounds in most leagues, with an average draft position (ADP) of 16 across three different platforms (ESPN, CBS, and RTSports).

That's a huge jump from last season's standings when he was the 11th-highest drafted tight end at 90th overall. Anyone looking to grab Bowers for the 2025 campaign will have to be prepared to spend one of their top three picks to do so.

Despite his lofty new hold on the NFL's pantheon, Bowers could still end up being a value choice. There are plenty of reasons to believe that he could improve on his 2024 showing.

Firstly, instead of Gardner Minshew II, Aidan O'Connell, and Desmond Ridder, he'll have Geno Smith throwing him the ball this season. While he hasn't established himself as a surefire winning quarterback at this level, Smith has proven that he could lead a competent offense and put up strong numbers.

The Raiders also figure to have a much more threatening ground game, with a running back tandem featuring sixth-overall pick Ashton Jeanty and Raheem Mostert. That could lead to opposing defenses stacking their boxes against Las Vegas, opening the door for Brock Bowers to attack mismatches.

Lastly, the offensive line play should be a lot better with DJ Glaze and Jackson Powers-Johnson going into their second years. Having a more consistent running game and a faster processor under center in Smith should only help. Factor in some personal development for Bowers in his sophomore season, and things are set up for him to have another fantastic campaign.

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All fantasy draft positions and stats via Fantasy Pros on a 17-game, full-PPR basis

This article first appeared on Las Vegas Raiders on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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