Much like other position debates at the top of drafts, this one could be argued as splitting hairs. It doesn't feel like a toss-up when it's your turn to make the pick, however, especially when these guys are going very early.

Needless to say, you need to make the right pick. So, which tight end deserves to hear their name called first? I'll break down the McBride vs. Bowers conversation and come to a final decision.

Trey McBride vs. Brock Bowers at a Glance

The big thing we need to consider is that Bowers injured his knee in Week 1 and eventually missed time in 2025 and McBride did not. Meaning, Bowers was basically playing from behind the entire season, while his Las Vegas Raiders offense was inarguably the worst in pro football - last in yards per game (245.2) and points per game (14.2).

Despite that, Bowers ranked second in fantasy points per game, only behind McBride. In addition, he finished inside the top-20 every single game.

One could argue that's more of a statement on the tight end position than this comparison, but Bowers was still consistently elite when looking at 2025 TE numbers.

Brock Bowers hurt his knee in Week 1 last season. Missed five games and seemed negatively impacted all season. Geno Smith was awful. OC was fired in November. Just a worst-case scenario situation all the way around ... and Bowers finished as fantasy's TE2 in PPR points per game.

— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) April 9, 2026

In that same breath, nobody can say Bowers was better than McBride last year. He's the more tantalizing talent, but McBride put up a historic campaign. Not only were his 126 catches good for the most ever in a single season by a tight end, but they also rank 12th overall in NFL history.

Why You Need to Draft Trey McBride First

The most obvious reason to draft Trey McBride is that his role is insane. He is coming off of literally the highest volume output any TE has ever seen. On top of that, he garnered an absurd 169 targets, and was also able to score 11 touchdowns.

A tight end with that type of target volume and TD equity is not someone we should be sticking our nose up at. McBride finished as the TE1 overall and it stands to reason that he'll be in for a very similar output this year.

After all, it's not like McBride's epic 2025 run came out of nowhere. The guy burst onto the scene with a TE7 finish back in 2023, and then exploded for a TE2 finish with 111 catches in 2024.

McBride is here to stay, and this type of role gives him an ideal combination of safety and ceiling.

Why You Need to Draft Brock Bowers First

The biggest difference between McBride and Bowers is athleticism. Bowers is a superior athlete and it translates to the stat sheet, as he has the ability to spring bigger plays. McBride's crazy volume plays into it, but last year he averaged just 9.8 yards per reception. Bowers clocked in at 10.6 last year and 10.6 as a rookie.

That alone isn't why you should invest in Bowers, though. Much like McBride, he's a proven stud, as he finished as TE1 overall during his rookie season. And last year he was the TE2 in fantasy points per game despite having a terrible environment around him.

Fast forward to this year, and offensive guru Klint Kubiak comes in to take over a sputtering Raiders offense.

Kubiak just won a Super Bowl with Seattle and ran a system that turned Jaxon Smith-Njigba (119 catches for 1,793 yards) into a household name. The assumption here is Bowers, who Kubiak referred to as a “football robot from heaven”, will be far and away the top receiving threat for the new-look Raiders.

Needless to say, the hype is growing.

McFadden: Bowers could have record-breaking season https://t.co/fbo0YaQaC5

— Rotoworld Football (@rotoworld_fb) July 12, 2026

It's tough to imagine anyone clearing what McBride did last year, but we've seen what Bowers can do in less-than-ideal circumstances. With upgrades all around him, his ceiling is through the roof headed into 2026.

The Biggest Risks

There isn't much downside for either of these guys. They are proven alphas with elite talent, massive target shares, and previous WR1 finishes under their belts. Of course, they don't come with zero risk, so let's take a quick peek at their negatives for 2026.

Risks for Trey McBride

• Shaky QB play
  
• New system
  
• Natural regression
  
• Fewer garbage time games
  
• Healthy MHJ
  
• Massive RB upgrade
  

McBride is once again walking into a full season with Jacoby Brissett. On the surface, that's a good thing, as Brissett peppered him relentlessly with targets. There is always the chance a journeyman like Brissett takes a step back, or worse, gets benched for a less favorable option (Gardner Minshew or Carson Beck).

Brissett at least knows how to get the ball to his top guys. Just ask Justin Jefferson if having that baseline reliability under center matters.

McBride and this entire Arizona band of weapons are getting used to a new system. I am sure they'll all adapt fine, but it's a wrinkle to consider.

The biggest risk for McBride and his prospective fantasy owners is the expectation of similar numbers. McBride benefited (a lot) from late-game production.

If those opportunities wane, McBride's overall numbers could suffer. And just in general, repeating career (nay, historic) seasons simply isn't an easy thing to do.

Further complicating McBride automatically churning out his 2025 numbers? The fact that he wasn't previously a big touchdown guy, as well as the return of a healthy Marvin Harrison Jr.

Oh, and the Cardinals drafted a stud running back in Jeremiyah Love. The mere presence of Love could lead to a more balanced attack, fewer second-half deficits, and less volume for Arizona's passing attack.

Risks for Brock Bowers

• Shaky QB play
  
• New System
  
• Injuries
  
• Unforeseen target competition
  

Bowers has some of the same red flags as McBride in that his quarterback situation has changed, and he'll also be operating out of a new offense. I see both of those as net positives, however, as the Las Vegas offense was horrific last year and Geno Smith regressed horribly.

Assuming those things iron out quickly, the real drawback for Bowers would be his health. He was fine as a rookie, which is encouraging, but he banged up his knee early last year and it took him forever to recover. Bowers tried to power through early, but eventually was completely shut down until he could get close to 100% again. The good news is he'll be 100% to start off 2026. Now we just need to hope this dynamic and explosive tight end can stay off the injury report.

One other tiny obstacle could be increased target competition. Based on the fact that Klint Kubiak is running the show, this isn't a very real fear in my opinion. That said, some think Jack Bech could break out in year two, while Las Vegas did invest some cash in free agent receiver Jalen Nailor.

Again, not concerned! But still, it's always possible the Raiders spread things out or feature a wide receiver more than we expect.

Key Fantasy Category Winners

I think the quarterback situation is close. On one hand, Brissett could help McBride retain the absurd volume he's accustomed to getting. Brissett could also just be bad this time around and/or give way to a far worse situation if he gets hurt or benched.

Bowers isn't immune to poor quarterback play. A washed Kirk Cousins or an ill-prepared Fernando Mendoza could easily sabotage his 2026 season. I tend to think both are better than Brissett, however, and certainly an upgrade over Geno Smith.

The target volume should be hefty for both tight ends. MHJ being around lowers McBride's target ceiling, while Bowers (153) was not far behind as a rookie. If Kubiak uses him like I think he could, targets will either be very close or Bowers may actually end up trumping McBride.

The touchdown equity category is open to discussion. Bowers has been more consistent in that regard, while McBride's huge scoring spike feels less sustainable. You could argue it's a tie, but based on ceiling, I think Bowers has the edge.

McBride does feel like the safer pick based on volume. He offers the better weekly floor if we only go off of last year, but Bowers has the athleticism and general upside in his favor.

Both of these guys should have massive workloads. I tend to think McBride has more target competition going forward, however, so this is another spot where you could argue Bowers wins.

In terms of explosiveness, Bowers easily wins. He's the better athlete and while he's not guaranteed the volume McBride saw last year, he can do more with less.

Final Verdict: Should You Draft Trey McBride or Brock Bowers?

It's Bowers for me. There's nothing wrong with choosing McBride, but I think doing so overlooks a few key factors.

First, McBride's 2025 season benefited from plenty of garbage-time production and the absence of a healthy Marvin Harrison Jr. If either of those factors changes even slightly in 2026, he may struggle to justify his premium draft cost, especially if you're passing on Bowers.

Second, I simply believe Bowers is the better player. He's more athletic, more explosive, and we've already seen him thrive in a similar role. Now, with Klint Kubiak running the offense, he has an opportunity to take another leap and put together a season that rivals -- or even surpasses -- what McBride accomplished last year.

Ultimately, this debate is similar to choosing between Jahmyr Gibbs and Bijan Robinson or Ja'Marr Chase and Puka Nacua. There's no objectively wrong answer, and some of the decision comes down to personal preference. But when both players are excellent options, I'll lean toward the one I believe carries less risk and offers the higher ceiling. For me, that's Brock Bowers.