Brock Bowers or Dalton Schultz: Who Should You Start?
2026 Week 2 · deterministic head-to-head · Verdicts based on PPR scoring.
Too close to call — the edges cancel out.
Brock Bowers and Dalton Schultz grade out even this week. Bowers's best edge is the projection (14.4 to 8.0), Schultz's best edge is availability (a clean report to Bowers's doubtful) — and they cancel out. Start whichever player's game you trust more this week.
In standard scoring this flips to Schultz.
Brock Bowers
8.111.314.4 Projected Points
Dalton Schultz
4.66.38.0 Projected Points
Brock Bowers’s market
Dalton Schultz’s market
Why Brock Bowers
Sit· highTE1 and offensive focal point. Elite separation and yards-after-catch ability; mismatch weapon with WR-level target volume.
Bowers is listed Out (post-meniscus trim) — no TE2 projection matters if he can't dress; handcuff a replacement and monitor his day-to-day status.
- Listed Doubtful on the latest report — rarely plays through that tag.
- LAC ranks 26 of 32 against TEs (one of the softer matchups, 1-game sample).
- Vegas implies 17.0 team points as 8.5-point underdogs.
- Listed TE on the latest depth chart with a 86% snap share in 2025.
The call
- Availability is the whole story: he's listed Out, and a ruled-out tight end scores zero regardless of the 14.4-point projection or TE2 consensus rank.
- The role is elite when healthy — 86% snap share and a 25% target share over 12 games — so the moment he's activated he's a must-start, but you cannot leave a lineup spot exposed on a day-to-day knee.
- Even on a return, the spot is unappealing: 17.0 implied team total as an 8.5-point underdog, and the Chargers grade 26 of 32 vs tight ends on a one-game sample with zero confidence.
- Tip point: an official upgrade to active or a full practice week flips this to a start — until then, roll a healthy replacement.
Latest on Bowers
Brock Bowers returned to practice Friday but is doubtful to play Sunday against the Chargers.
Raiders-Chargers Week 2 Injury Report: Brock Bowers doubtful, Darien Porter ruled outraiders.com, ESPN · Sep 18, 2026Bowers was a non-participant in Wednesday's Week 2 practice, with Kubiak hoping he could return to practice Thursday or Friday.
ESPN · Sep 17, 2026As of Thursday's Week 2 practice, Bowers remained out for a second straight day and was labeled day-to-day by Kubiak, with his odds of playing against the Chargers growing slimmer with only one more practice left.
Yahoo Sports · Sep 17, 2026Raiders coach Klint Kubiak said star tight end Brock Bowers is day-to-day after missing the team's Week 1 win over the Miami Dolphins because of a meniscus trim procedure he had last week.
The Raiders believe there is a realistic chance that Brock Bowers will miss only one game because of his knee injury, sources told ESPN.
Tight end Michael Mayer, who is stepping in for an injured Brock Bowers to start the regular season, has received a multiyear extension from the Raiders.
Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.
Why Dalton Schultz
StartTE1 in high-volume pass-catching role. Reliable chain-mover over the middle with sure hands.
Start — TE21 by consensus and projection: CIN is the 4th-toughest matchup vs TEs, 24.5 implied team total.
- CIN ranks 4 of 32 against TEs (one of the tougher matchups, 1-game sample).
- Vegas implies 24.5 team points as 2.5-point favorites.
- Listed TE on the latest depth chart with a 66% snap share.
Latest on Schultz
Schultz was Houston's lead tight end pass-catcher in Week 1 with four catches for 35 yards, confirming his role as the top receiving option at the position.
SI/Texans On SI · Sep 14, 2026Head-to-head stats
| Metric | Brock Bowers | Dalton Schultz |
|---|---|---|
| Projected points | 8.111.314.4 | 4.66.38.0 |
| Consensus rank | TE2 | TE21 |
| Opponent vs position | LAC · 26 of 321-game sample | CIN · 4 of 321-game sample |
| Receptions | 30 of 32 | 5 of 32 |
| Receiving Yards | 29 of 32 | 6 of 32 |
| Receiving TDs | 21 of 32 | 1 of 32 |
| Targets | 32 of 32 | 6 of 32 |
| Anytime TD | 20 of 32 | 1 of 32 |
| Target share | 25%(2025) | 22% |
| Reception share | 27%(2025) | 15% |
| Implied total · spread | 17.0+8.5 | 24.5-2.5 |
| Depth chart | TE1 | TE1 |
| Snap share | 86%(2025) | 66% |
| Injury designation | doubtful | — |
Recent form
Brock Bowers — last 1 week
| Week 1 | vs MIA | 0.00.00.0 |
Dalton Schultz — last 1 week
| Week 1 | vs BUF | 3.55.57.5 |
Signal breakdown
- 14.4 vs 8.0 projected PPR pointsBrock Bowers +
- Rank 2 vs 21Brock Bowers +
- Opponent DvP rank 26 vs 4 (32 = softest)even
- Implied 17.0 vs 24.5 team pointsDalton Schultz +
- doubtful vs no designationDalton Schultz +
- 86% vs 66% snap shareBrock Bowers +
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