Who Should I Start? Darnell Washington or Michael Mayer

Sunday, December 1, 12:36 AM

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Darnell Washington had only seven catches as a rookie. While the 23-year-old has been more productive during the 2024-25 campaign, he hasn't routinely been involved enough to warrant a spot in fantasy lineups. With that in mind, the Steelers have a favorable matchup against the Bengals in Week 13. However, that still won't make Washington a viable fantasy option in any format, especially with Pat Freiermuth available.

Sunday, December 8, 9:26 PM

Las Vegas Raiders tight end Michael Mayer brought in 7-of-9 targets for 68 yards in Sunday's 28-13 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The second-year TE easily set all-new season highs with his performance on Sunday, while his reception total and yardage output were good enough to lead the Raiders' offense in the defeat. Mayer was second on the team in targets only to wide receiver Jakobi Meyers. It's intriguing usage for the 23-year-old, as he out-produced rookie sensation Brock Bowers for the first time this season. Additionally, it's hard to predict this kind of usage moving forward, particularly with it looking like quarterback Desmond Ridder taking over after Aidan O'Connell (knee) was carted off in an air cast. For now, fantasy managers would be better off taking a wait-and-see approach with Mayer. He'll get the Atlanta Falcons next Sunday but likely won't be on the fantasy radar.