Is Brock Bowers Playing Today vs. Chargers?

Raiders’ tight end Brock Bowers will not play in the Week 2 showdown with the Chargers.

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Bowers had surgery on Sept. 8 to trim his meniscus. He returned to practice on Friday, but the Raiders still listed their tight end as doubtful on the final injury report of the week.

The Raiders Without Bowers

Las Vegas managed to put up 27 points on Miami in Week 1 without Bowers. But the passing game was not explosive. The Raiders had just one passing play go for more than 20 yards. No player topped 50 receiving yards, as Kirk Cousins threw for just 160 yards on 30 attempts.

The biggest beneficiaries of Bowers’ absence were Ashton Jeanty and Michael Mayer. Jeanty hauled in two touchdowns while going for 45 yards on six catches. Mayer led the team with seven targets, putting up 32 yards on six catches.

The wide receiver group was a disappointment, as Tre Tucker and Jalen Nailor both produced 27 yards. The Raiders’ third wide receiver Jack Bech snagged a touchdown, but he only played 40 percent of the offensive snaps in Week 1.

Bowers’ Expected Return

When Bowers’ surgery was initially reported, ESPN’s Adam Schefter said he would be out for a “game or two”. However, Schefter later revealed that the brief timeline was an optimistic guess from Bowers himself.

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But that optimism may prove to be correct. Not only did Bowers get back to practice on Friday, but his head coach believes he could return in Week 3. Klint Kubiak was asked if he was optimistic that Bowers could play against the Saints next week, and he gave a one-word response of “Yes”.

Kubiak has already proven to be an unreliable source of injury information after he said he expected Bowers to play in Week 1 just one day after the tight end’s surgery. But if Kubiak is telling the truth now, Bowers could be back soon.

Bowers’ Workload

The Raiders could see Bowers return, but not to his full role. Schefter stated that if Bowers did make it back by Week 3, he probably would not be at full strength.

Kubiak is already limiting one of his other stars. Maxx Crosby was on the sideline for 10 snaps in Week 1, something he rarely does. Kubiak said it was his decision to give Crosby limited playing time.

The Week 1 win over Miami was the first time Crosby played in a game since his offseason knee surgery. If the Raiders decide to take the same path with Bowers, he could be on the sideline more than usual if he returns in Week 3.

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This story was originally published September 20, 2026 at 2:39 PM.