Who Should I Start? Brock Bowers or Mason Taylor

Monday, January 6, 10:15 AM

Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers wrapped up a sensational rookie season despite a constant change at quarterback and a tumultuous season for the team in general. In the Week 18 loss to the Chargers, Bowers finished with four catches for 50 yards and a touchdown on nine targets. He ended the year with 112 receptions, 1,194 yards, and five touchdowns on 153 targets. His performance broke records for most receptions by a rookie, Raiders franchise single-season receptions, and most yards by a rookie tight end.

Tuesday, April 29, 4:39 PM

The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt writes that rookie second-round tight end Mason Taylor will immediately walk into the Jets building at the top of the tight end depth chart going into his rookie season in 2025. Jeremy Ruckert projects as the No. 2, but he has yet to make an impact since the Jets drafted him in 2022. The Jets are at least hoping he can take a step forward as a blocker and contribute in the running game. The 20-year-old Taylor not only will be a starter immediately, but he could see plenty of targets from quarterback Justin Fields in his first year in the NFL, giving him TE1 fantasy upside in 2025. Outside of WR1 Garrett Wilson, the Jets don't exactly star-studded receiving depth in Josh Reynolds, Allen Lazard and Arian Smith. Taylor will have intriguing rookie upside, but he'll still be better off drafted as a TE2 sleeper than a staple for those in single-TE leagues.