Brock Bowers or Tank Bigsby: Who Should You Start?
2026 Week 4 · deterministic head-to-head · Verdicts based on PPR scoring.
Start Bowers: receiver-level involvement outweighs Bigsby’s better scoring outlook
Bowers’ featured role gives him a clear advantage over a change-of-pace back whose path depends on a much smaller slice of the offense. The Raiders’ use of Bowers as a receiver makes his elite target volume especially valuable at tight end, even with a modest team scoring outlook (raiders.com 2026-09-30). Bigsby has the better scoring environment and a downhill style that could pay off near the goal line, but that upside needs opportunities his current role doesn’t reliably provide. The main risk with Bowers is that this is still early in his return after knee surgery and a missed opening stretch (ESPN 2026-09-27).
What flips it: A knee-related setback that removes Bowers from the Raiders’ featured receiving packages.
Sources: raiders.com · Sep 30, 2026 · ESPN · Sep 27, 2026
AI editor
Brock Bowers
9.412.615.9 Projected Points
Tank Bigsby
2.52.72.9 Projected Points
Brock Bowers’s market
Tank Bigsby’s market
Why Brock Bowers
StartTE1 and offensive focal point. Elite separation and yards-after-catch ability; mismatch weapon with WR-level target volume.
Start — every-week TE start at consensus TE2: 44% target share, 15.9 PPR projected vs KC.
- The Raiders have already deployed Bowers in receiver-like packages, expanding how he can earn targets (raiders.com 2026-09-30).
- His season debut came after a meniscus procedure and two missed games, leaving some return-to-form risk (ESPN 2026-09-27).
Latest on Bowers
Against the Saints, Bowers was featured as a wide receiver in some of the Raiders’ personnel packages.
Bucky's Breakdown: How the return of Brock Bowers raises the Raiders' ceilingraiders.com · Sep 30, 2026Brock Bowers made his season debut in Week 3 against the New Orleans Saints after undergoing a meniscus trim and missing the first two games.
ESPN · Sep 27, 2026The two-time Pro Bowler caught 10 passes for 116 yards and a touchdown en route to the Raiders' Week 3 win.
“I mean, I’m not surprised - Brock is Brock,” said linebacker Nakobe Dean, who was also college teammates with Bowers.
After missing first two games of season, the Raiders tight end exploded for 10 receptions, 116 yards and a touchdown in Week 3 victory.
Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.
Why Tank Bigsby
SitBackup RB and change-of-pace power runner. Downhill one-cut style behind the starter.
Sit — bench-tier RB at consensus RB51: 4% target share, 2.9 PPR projected vs LAR.
- Bigsby’s downhill power could matter if Philadelphia creates short-yardage or goal-line chances.
- The stronger team scoring outlook gives his limited role a more favorable setting than Bowers’.
Head-to-head stats
| Metric | Brock Bowers | Tank Bigsby |
|---|---|---|
| Projected points | 9.412.615.9 | 2.52.72.9 |
| Consensus rank | TE2 | RB51 |
| Opponent vs position | KC · 17 of 323-game sample | LAR · 12 of 323-game sample |
| Receptions | 19 of 32 | 29 of 32 |
| Receiving Yards | 13 of 32 | 19 of 32 |
| Receiving TDs | 18 of 32 | — |
| Targets | 18 of 32 | — |
| Anytime TD | 18 of 32 | 1 of 32 |
| Rushing Yards | — | 11 of 32 |
| Rushing TDs | — | 1 of 32 |
| Rushing Attempts | — | 12 of 32 |
| Target share | 44% | 4% |
| Reception share | 48% | 5% |
| Implied total · spread | 19.0+5.5 | 23.0+1.5 |
| Depth chart | TE1 | RB2 |
| Snap share | 79% | 16% |
| Start/Sit record | 1–1 | — |
Recent form
Brock Bowers — last 3 weeks
| Week 3 | vs NO | 17.622.627.6 |
| Week 2 | vs LAC | DNP |
| Week 1 | vs MIA | DNP |
Tank Bigsby — last 3 weeks
| Week 3 | vs CHI | -1.5-1.0-0.5 |
| Week 2 | vs TEN | 9.810.811.8 |
| Week 1 | vs WSH | 0.30.30.3 |
Signal breakdown
- 15.9 vs 2.9 projected PPR pointsBrock Bowers +
- Rank 2 vs 51Brock Bowers +
- Opponent DvP rank 17 vs 12 (32 = softest)Brock Bowers +
- Implied 19.0 vs 23.0 team pointsTank Bigsby +
- No injury designationseven
- 79% vs 16% snap shareBrock Bowers +
Compare different players
Every fantasy-relevant player this week — search or filter by position.
More Bowers comparisons
More Bigsby comparisons
This week’s toughest calls
- K. WilliamsKyren WilliamsRBLARvs PHI
C. SkatteboCam SkatteboRBNYGvs ARI
- C. SkatteboCam SkatteboRBNYGvs ARID. SwiftD'Andre SwiftRBCHIvs NYJ
- D. SwiftD'Andre SwiftRBCHIvs NYJB. TutenBhayshul TutenRBJAXvs CIN
- B. TutenBhayshul TutenRBJAXvs CINB. IrvingBucky IrvingRBTBvs GB
- B. IrvingBucky IrvingRBTBvs GBD. MontgomeryDavid MontgomeryRBHOUvs DAL
- D. MontgomeryDavid MontgomeryRBHOUvs DALR. StevensonRhamondre StevensonRBNEvs BUF
- T. HigginsTee HigginsWRCINvs JAX
D. AdamsDavante AdamsWRLARvs PHI
- D. AdamsDavante AdamsWRLARvs PHID. MooreDJ MooreWRBUFvs NE
- D. MooreDJ MooreWRBUFvs NEL. Burden IIILuther Burden IIIWRCHIvs NYJ
- L. Burden IIILuther Burden IIIWRCHIvs NYJC. WatsonChristian WatsonWRGBvs TB
- C. WatsonChristian WatsonWRGBvs TBP. WashingtonParker WashingtonWRJAXvs CIN
- P. WashingtonParker WashingtonWRJAXvs CINS. DiggsStefon DiggsWRWSHvs IND
- K. Pitts Sr.Kyle Pitts Sr.TEATLvs NO
G. KittleGeorge KittleTESFvs DEN
- G. KittleGeorge KittleTESFvs DENS. LaPortaSam LaPortaTEDETvs CAR
- S. LaPortaSam LaPortaTEDETvs CART. KraftTucker KraftTEGBvs TB
- T. KraftTucker KraftTEGBvs TBT. KelceTravis KelceTEKCvs LV
- T. KelceTravis KelceTEKCvs LVJ. FergusonJake FergusonTEDALvs HOU
- J. FergusonJake FergusonTEDALvs HOUI. LikelyIsaiah LikelyTENYGvs ARI
- D. PrescottDak PrescottQBDALvs HOU
T. LawrenceTrevor LawrenceQBJAXvs CIN
- T. LawrenceTrevor LawrenceQBJAXvs CINB. PurdyBrock PurdyQBSFvs DEN
- B. PurdyBrock PurdyQBSFvs DENP. MahomesPatrick MahomesQBKCvs LV
- P. MahomesPatrick MahomesQBKCvs LVB. NixBo NixQBDENvs SF
- B. NixBo NixQBDENvs SFM. StaffordMatthew StaffordQBLARvs PHI
- M. StaffordMatthew StaffordQBLARvs PHIK. MurrayKyler MurrayQBMINvs MIA
- K. FairbairnKa'imi FairbairnKHOUvs DAL
H. ButkerHarrison ButkerKKCvs LV
- H. ButkerHarrison ButkerKKCvs LVT. LoopTyler LoopKBALvs TEN
- T. LoopTyler LoopKBALvs TENW. ReichardWill ReichardKMINvs MIA
- W. ReichardWill ReichardKMINvs MIAE. McPhersonEvan McPhersonKCINvs JAX
- E. McPhersonEvan McPhersonKCINvs JAXC. McLaughlinChase McLaughlinKTBvs GB
- C. McLaughlinChase McLaughlinKTBvs GBS. ShraderSpencer ShraderKINDvs WSH
- Vikings D/STVikings D/STDSTMINvs MIA
Commanders D/STCommanders D/STDSTWSHvs IND
- Commanders D/STCommanders D/STDSTWSHvs INDBills D/STBills D/STDSTBUFvs NE
- Bills D/STBills D/STDSTBUFvs NEBears D/STBears D/STDSTCHIvs NYJ
- Bears D/STBears D/STDSTCHIvs NYJPackers D/STPackers D/STDSTGBvs TB
- Packers D/STPackers D/STDSTGBvs TBGiants D/STGiants D/STDSTNYGvs ARI
- Giants D/STGiants D/STDSTNYGvs ARIBuccaneers D/STBuccaneers D/STDSTTBvs GB
- C. SkatteboCam SkatteboRBNYGvs ARIP. WashingtonParker WashingtonWRJAXvs CIN
- P. WashingtonParker WashingtonWRJAXvs CIND. SwiftD'Andre SwiftRBCHIvs NYJ
- D. SwiftD'Andre SwiftRBCHIvs NYJD. AdamsDavante AdamsWRLARvs PHI
- C. WatsonChristian WatsonWRGBvs TBJ. WarrenJaylen WarrenRBPITvs CLE
- J. WarrenJaylen WarrenRBPITvs CLEJ. CokerJalen CokerWRCARvs DET
- J. CokerJalen CokerWRCARvs DETG. KittleGeorge KittleTESFvs DEN
- G. KittleGeorge KittleTESFvs DENJ. DownsJosh DownsWRINDvs WSH
- T. HigginsTee HigginsWRCINvs JAXD. MontgomeryDavid MontgomeryRBHOUvs DAL
Get a Start/Sit call on your whole roster →
Save your team once and see a Start, Sit, or Toss-Up verdict on every player, every week — with the matchup, usage and game-script evidence behind each call.
Add to My Team — freeOr browse this week’s NFL games or NFL player props.