The personnel package that NFL teams typically use dictates their formations, strategies, and identities. In that case, the Raiders rely heavily on a certain approach.

Sam Hoppen, a football data scientist at theScore Bet, mapped each NFL team’s personnel usage rate thru Week 5. He divided every team’s graphic into three categories: 11 personnel (one running back, one tight end), multiple tight ends, and other formations.

As represented by the green part of the graph, the Raiders clearly show their dependence on heavy sets. No other team has come close to their usage of multiple tight ends or running backs in a snap.

reveals that the Raiders line up in 12 personnel (one RB, two TEs) for 39.69% of the time. The second most frequent personnel group is the 11-person group, used 19.38% of the time.

Heavy personnel has benefitted Raiders tight ends

The Raiders have been riding the 12-personnel package even while Brock Bowers was out for the first two games. But when he returned, the formation helped him catch up with the most productive tight ends through the first quarter of the 2026 season.

Using heavy personnel more often than other NFL teams has helped Bowers average 104 yards and a touchdown in three games. Since he returned, he has lined up in at least 82 percent of the Raiders' offensive snaps.

Meanwhile, Michael Mayer has a decent 21 catches for 171 yards and a touchdown. Even if he is playing primarily as a blocker, he is a contributor in more than half of the team's offensive plays. Even Ian Thomas, their third tight end, has played in an average of 31 to 46 percent of the Raiders' offensive snaps.

More importantly, the Raiders have achieved some success in using several formations with multiple tight ends. They’ll hope that the heavy formation can bring them a victory against the Buffalo Bills in Week 6.