Yahoo Fantasy Forecast analysts debate Brock Bowers’ 2026 draft value
Matt Harmon and Justin Boone discuss whether Brock Bowers warrants a first-round pick in 2026 fantasy drafts following an injury-shortened 2025 season.
Yahoo Fantasy Forecast analysts Matt Harmon and Justin Boone have opened a debate regarding the draft positioning of Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers for the 2026 fantasy football season. The discussion centres on whether Bowers justifies a first-round selection, a status that contrasts with his late-second-round selection in 2025 following a stellar rookie campaign in 2024.
Bowers finished his rookie year as the top-ranked tight end in fantasy scoring, accumulating 206.7 points in Half-PPR formats across 17 games. He recorded 112 receptions for 1,194 yards and five touchdowns. However, his 2025 season was curtailed by injuries, limiting him to 12 games where he recorded 64 catches for 680 yards and a career-high seven touchdowns.
Analyst Justin Boone argues that Bowers remains a high-value asset, particularly in Full-PPR formats, where he suggests selecting the tight end at the end of the first round or into the early second round. Boone views Bowers as a potential league-winner, driven largely by the Raiders’ lack of offensive reinforcements this offseason.
The primary factor supporting Bowers’ elevated status is his projected role as the de facto number one receiver for Las Vegas. The team’s only notable addition to the passing game is wide receiver Jalen Nailor, leaving Bowers as the central figure in an offense now directed by quarterback Klint Kubiak.
In Half-PPR formats, Boone considers Bowers a solid second-round pick. The segment also notes that both Bowers and rookie running back Ashton Jeanty were top-20 fantasy picks despite projections for the Raiders to be among the worst teams in the NFL in both 2025 and 2026. Harmon and Boone are effectively running back the strategy of targeting these high-end players despite the team’s anticipated struggles.
