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Brock Bowers

Who's rolling the dice in Week 1 on the Raiders' coveted tight end?

I will be interested to see what the Raiders do with Brock Bowers. They selected him with the 13th pick (despite already having a young, up-and-coming tight end) so clearly they think he’s something special.

But the Raiders are a lesser team with other proven pass catchers. Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers are accomplished receivers. (And I actually like two of their other supporting players – Tre Tucker and Michael Mayer.) They’ve got journeyman Gardner Minshew (behind a lesser offensive line) trying to sew it all together.

Minshew had some success jamming in balls to Michael Pittman last year, but I’m not excited about the overall lay of the land. That leaves me feeling Bowers is more likely to emerge in a future season.

He appeared only briefly in the preseason, playing early at Minnesota. He didn’t do anything too dramatic in that game, but they were moving him around, making it seem like he’ll be a guy who’ll be seeing some balls.

As for tossing Bowers in a Week 1 lineup, that would be a wild stab in the dark. In the 32-team era, 63 tight ends have been drafted in the first or second round. Only five of those guys scored in their first game, and only four finished with double-digit points in PPR leagues (tagged with black dots).

FIRST GAMES FOR TIGHT ENDS PICKED EARLY
YearPlayerPkTgtNoYdsTDPPR
2002Jeremy Shockey, NYG14734407.4
2002Jerramy Stevens, Sea.28431804.8
2002Doug Jolley, Oak.550000.0
2002Daniel Graham, N.E.211000.0
2003Dallas Clark, Ind.24411802.8
2003Bennie Joppru, Hou.410000.0
2003L.J. Smith , Phil.610000.0
2003Teyo Johnson, Oak.630000.0
2004Kellen Winslow, Clev.6643907.9
2004Benjamin Watson, N.E.32421603.6
2004Ben Troupe, Tenn.40221203.2
2004Kris Wilson, K.C.610000.0
2005Heath Miller, Pitt.3011317.3
2006• Vernon Davis, S.F.68537114.7
2006Tony Scheffler, Den.6131901.9
2006Marcedes Lewis, Jac.280000.0
2006Anthony Fasano, Dall.530000.0
2006Joe Klopfenstein, St.L.460000.0
2007Zach Miller, Oak.38632305.3
2007Greg Olsen, Chi.31222804.8
2008John Carlson, Sea.38445209.2
2008Fred Davis, Wash.4821601.6
2008Martellus Bennett, Dall.610000.0
2008Dustin Keller, NYJ300000.0
2009Brandon Pettigrew, Det.200000.0
2009Richard Quinn, Den.640000.0
2010• Jermaine Gresham, Cin.2110625114.5
2010Rob Gronkowski, N.E.4211117.1
2011Lance Kendricks, St.L.47511802.8
2011Kyle Rudolph, Minn.430000.0
2012• Coby Fleener, Ind.3410682014.2
2013Tyler Eifert, Cin.21554709.7
2013Vance McDonald, S.F.55212503.5
2013Zach Ertz, Phil.35311102.1
2013Gavin Escobar, Dall.4721701.7
2014Austin Seferian-Jenkins, T.B.38212603.6
2014Jace Amaro, NYJ4942702.7
2014Eric Ebron, Det.102000.0
2014Troy Niklas, Ariz.520000.0
2015Maxx Williams, Balt.55211502.5
2016Hunter Henry , S.D.35212003.0
2017Evan Engram, NYG23544408.4
2017Gerald Everett, LAR44113904.9
2017David Njoku, Clev.29222004.0
2017O.J. Howard, T.B.19311702.7
2017Adam Shaheen, Chi.450000.0
2018Mike Gesicki, Mia.42211102.1
2018Hayden Hurst, Balt.2521701.7
2018Dallas Goedert, Phil.4931401.4
2019• T.J. Hockenson, Det.896131125.1
2019Noah Fant, Den.20422904.9
2019Drew Sample, Cin.520000.0
2019Irv Smith Jr., Minn.500000.0
2020Cole Kmet, Chi.431000.0
2021Kyle Pitts, Atl.4843107.1
2021Pat Freiermuth, Pitt.55112403.4
2022Trey McBride, Ariz.550000.0
2023Sam LaPorta, Det.34553908.9
2023Luke Musgrave, G.B.42435008.0
2023Dalton Kincaid, Buff.25442606.6
2023Brenton Strange, Jac.610000.0
2023Luke Schoonmaker, Dall.580000.0
2023Michael Mayer, L.V.350000.0
2024Brock Bowers, L.V.13?????

—Ian Allan

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