Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers underwent surgery on Tuesday to trim a torn meniscus, a development that has blindsided fantasy football managers just as the NFL season kicks off. Bowers, who was expected to be quarterback Kirk Cousins' primary target this year after an outstanding rookie season, is now expected to miss "a game or two." The news is particularly unwelcome for the Raiders' offence under new head coach Klint Kubiak, and is compounded by the fact that the club reportedly knew of the injury for a week before it became public.

The surgery, performed by Dr Daniel Cooper in Dallas, followed an issue first flagged during training camp and diagnosed last week; Bowers is hoped to return by Week 3, though meniscus trims typically require four to six weeks of recovery. Hours before the news broke, Kubiak told reporters he expected "all our guys ready" for Sunday's game against the Miami Dolphins, raising questions about what the coaching staff knew. Bowers, who managed 1,194 yards and five touchdowns on 112 receptions as a rookie before a knee injury ended his 2025 season early, will likely be replaced in the offence by backup tight end Michael Mayer in the interim.