The Raiders’ Week 1 outlook took a hit before they even got to Sunday.
Las Vegas is expected to be without Brock Bowers after the All-Pro tight end reportedly had a meniscus trim on Tuesday in Dallas with Dr. Daniel Cooper. League sources told @rapsheet and me that Bowers is now expected to miss “a game or two.”
That news was enough to move the line for the Raiders’ home game against the Dolphins. DraftKings Sportsbook adjusted Las Vegas from a 3.5-point favorite to a 3-point favorite.
Oddsmakers did not make a corresponding move on the total, even with one of the Raiders’ biggest offensive pieces suddenly out of the picture.
Bowers’ knee has already been an issue. He dealt with a PCL sprain in his left knee during the 2025 season, and it clearly lingered. He played in just 12 games, finishing with 64 catches on 86 targets for 680 yards and seven touchdowns.
The market reaction says plenty about how important he is to Las Vegas. Even with the Dolphins projected to be one of the worst teams in the NFL in 2026, the Raiders were still trimmed only slightly, a sign that oddsmakers still like their chances at home.
The bigger headache may come a week later. Las Vegas turns around and faces the Chargers in a major AFC West matchup in Week 2, and the Raiders would likely be underdogs there. If Bowers is still sidelined, that line could swing further toward Los Angeles.
For now, the Raiders will have to lean elsewhere in the passing game. Their current depth chart lists Tre Tucker, Jalen Nailor and Jack Bech as starters, with Malik Benson and Dareke Young behind them.
At tight end, Michael Mayer is expected to handle the lead role with Bowers out Sunday.
In Other News...
Raiders Depth Chart Just Settled Several Big Week 1 Battles
The Raiders finally put some structure around the opening weeks of their 2026 season by releasing an official depth chart before Week 1, and it answered several of the roster questions that had lingered through camp. Kirk Cousins is the starting quarterback, while battles at right guard and the second cornerback spot are now settled on paper, giving Las Vegas a clearer sense of how the first game plan will come together.
There is also some important clarity on special teams and the back end of the defense, where Dylan Laube and Dareke Young will handle kick returns and Malik Benson is listed as the punt returner. On defense, veteran Foley Fatukasi has carved out a meaningful place in the defensive tackle rotation, and Stukes is set to start at free safety ahead of Isaiah Pola-Mao, a sign the Raiders are leaning into a few different lineup choices as they head into the opener. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders May Be Ready To Use Brock Bowers Very Differently
The early read on Brock Bowers in Las Vegas is that the Raiders may not be treating him like a conventional tight end at all. Head coach Klint Kubiak is expected to feature the first-round pick heavily in the offense, and the buzz around the league has only grown as former coaches and media voices have described him as the kind of weapon who can shape how a passing game is built.
That shift matters for a team that took plenty of heat when it used a first-round pick on Bowers in the first place, only for the move to start looking smarter to outside evaluators. The more intriguing question now is how far the Raiders are willing to go in pushing his role beyond the traditional tight-end label, especially with some around the game already talking about him in terms usually reserved for wide receivers. [Read more 🡒]
Ashton Jeanty Just Changed A Key Raiders Week 1 Question
Ashton Jeantys status has gone from a looming Week 1 concern to a possibility the Raiders still can plan around. The rookie running back is practicing and could be available against the Dolphins, according to coach Klint Kubiak, which at least gives Las Vegas a chance to think beyond a backup plan as it heads into the opener.
Kubiak said Jeantys workload will be tied to how he looks in practice, and the team has not made a final call yet. His not landing on injured reserve mattered, too, because it left the door open for a return at any point this season, even if the Raiders are still sorting out what that means for Sunday. [Read more 🡒]