No one is talking much about the Raiders, which means rookie tight end Brock Bowers has flown under the radar. (Except for fantasy owners who have him on their roster.)
Bowers also doesn’t hype himself, and his stoic demeanor prompted Davante Adams to nickname Bowers the “Business Man.”
Bowers’ numbers, though, are speaking loudly for him.
His 70 catches are second in the NFL and his 706 yards are 10th. His three touchdowns are tied for fifth among all tight ends. It puts Bowers on pace to break the single-season rookie record for catches regardless of position, and he could set the rookie mark for receiving yards by a tight end.
Lions tight end Sam LaPorta has the rookie record for catches at the position with 86 last season, and Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua set the overall rookie record for receptions with 105 last season. Bears tight end Mike Ditka set the rookie record for receiving yards at the position with 1,076 in 1961, and Nacua has the record for most receiving yards by a rookie regardless of position at 1,486.
Nacua finished second to Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud in offensive rookie of the year voting last season, and LaPorta was third.
Ditka is the only tight end to win offensive rookie of the year.
“At the end of the season, you get to relax and reflect a little bit,” Bowers said of appreciating his accomplishments, via Tashan Reed of TheAthletic.com, “but we’re not there yet.”
In betting odds, Bowers is fourth at +3000 behind Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels (-400), Denver quarterback Bo Nix (+300) and New England quarterback Drake Maye (+2500).
“He’s really good,” quarterback Gardner Minshew said. “I don’t know if anyone’s said that yet. There’s not much he can’t do, man. I’m super glad we have him, and super excited for everything he’s going to be in his career.”
Bowers said the game is slowing down for him, and that’s the way it appeared Sunday when he had 13 catches (the most ever in a game for a rookie tight end) for a career-high 126 yards and a touchdown.
“There’s always another week coming,” Bowers said. “I’ve always got something to prove.”
