Raiders Star TE Brock Bowers Undergoes Knee Surgery, Expected to Miss Time

The Las Vegas Raiders are starting their season with a massive headache. All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers underwent a meniscus trim on Tuesday and is expected to miss at least a game or two, according to Ian Rapoport and Adam Schefter.

The official word is that Bowers got banged up "a little in camp" before the injury was officially diagnosed last week. In NFL translation, "a little banged up" usually means a guy has been running routes on a knee that feels like a rusty door hinge.

"Ian Rapoport reported Bowers got banged up 'a little in camp' before the diagnosis last week."

He flew out to Dallas to have Dr. Daniel Cooper handle the cleanup. A meniscus trim is generally the best-case scenario for knee surgery, but losing your top offensive weapon right as the games start counting is a brutal blow for Las Vegas.

Bowers is not just a tight end for the Raiders. He is the entire engine of their passing attack and the ultimate safety blanket for whoever is taking snaps under center. Taking him off the field removes the one mismatch opposing defensive coordinators actually lose sleep over.

This is an immediate nightmare for fantasy managers who spent premium draft capital on him, and it completely shifts the betting landscape for the Raiders' early schedule. Without their Pro Bowler, expect Las Vegas team totals and passing props to look a lot less appealing at the sportsbooks.

The silver lining is that a trim means he should be back on the field before the leaves change color. Until then, the Raiders will have to figure out how to move the chains without their best player bailing them out on third down.