Brock Bowers was widely viewed as the top tight end to pick up in fantasy drafts heading into the season. Many eschewed wide receivers and running backs in favor of the Las Vegas Raiders star. However, it didn't take long for the move to hit troubled waters, with Bowers sustaining an injury in the season opener.Reports about the tight end's health are mixed, which raises a big question: Should managers begin to react as if he won't play in Week 2?On Thursday, Bowers didn't shut the door to playing in Week 2."We'll see how it's feeling throughout the week, but I'm hoping to play," he said.According to Deepak Chona, a data-driven injury analyst who has been featured on ESPN, NBC, and The Athletic, it all comes down to one factor: whether Bowers practices on Friday."Brock Bowers - DNP Thurs. Comments reassuring but often misleading. If playing Wk 2, would likely LP Fri. If DNP Fri, data favors 2/3 to sit," he posted.Brock Bowers injury: What happened to Raiders TE?The tight end "twisted his knee" during the Week 1 battle against the New England Patriots in the second half, per CBS Sports. According to Anthony Galaviz of the Fresno Bee, Bowers wanted to return to the contest but was denied.As such, it appears that had it been a more critical game than Week 1, he might have been able to gut it out. This raises hopes that he can return to the field with an extra day off before a late Monday Night Football Showdown against the 1-0 Los Angeles Chargers.When could Brock Bowers return?Brock Bowers at Las Vegas Raiders v New England Patriots - NFL 2025 - Source: GettyAs of now, there is no concrete return date for Brock Bowers. There appears to be a coin-flip chance of the tight end getting on the field in Week 2, but it is far from guaranteed. Ultimately, Pete Carroll and the trainers will have the final say.If Bowers can't play in Week 2, he should be able to return in Week 3 against the 1-1 Washington Commanders. As such, managers might want to put a backup tight end into their starting role and place Bowers on the bench for the moment. If Bowers gets the green light, managers can always switch back.The worst outcome would be to wait until minutes before gametime to check back, forget to do so, and then miss the ability to play any tight end at all.