MichaelMayer

News: 2 days agoMayer was unable to haul in his only target in Sunday's 19-14 win over the Jaguars.

Spin: After emerging with a seven-catch, 68-yard performance in Week 14, Mayer has since posted a disappointing 1-11-0 receiving line on three targets over the Raiders' past two games. Rookie tight end Brock Bowers continued to shine Sunday, as he racked up 11 receptions for 99 yards on 13 targets. Expect Mayer to continue taking a backseat to Bowers at New Orleans in Week 17.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: The learning curve for tight ends at the NFL level can be lengthy, and Mayer's 2023 was representative of that. He began playing sparingly behind Austin Hooper, but over his final nine games, he played 82% of the Raiders' offensive snaps, averaged 21.8 routes, 3.9 targets and 6.9 fantasy points per game, before a toe issue cost him the season's final three weeks. That might have been a stepping stone to bigger things for Mayer, until the team added free agent Harrison Bryant, then drafted Brock Bowers 13th overall in April, greatly clouding the sophomore's 2024 outlook. On a skills basis, Mayer possesses plenty of upside, but he might need a change of scenery to claim the playing time needed to be fantasy-relevant.