Who Should I Start? Isaiah Likely or Michael Mayer

Monday, January 20, 1:38 PM

Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely stepped up again with Zay Flowers (knee) missing another playoff game but it ultimately wasn't enough as they fell by two points to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. Likely ended the game with four receptions for 73 yards and a touchdown on five targets. While he wasn't the most targeted out of all of the pass-catchers, he did lead them in yards with one fewer reception than Mark Andrews. Likely had more than a few flashes of brilliance this season which could have earned him some more snaps heading into the 2025 season. A lot will depend on the off-season moves that the Ravens make to try to get over the hump in the playoffs.

Saturday, March 1, 12:17 PM

According to league sources, the Las Vegas Raiders have had discussions with teams who have interest in tight end Michael Mayer. The team's second-round selection in 2023, Mayer hasn't had the type of impact the Raiders were hoping for, which is why they took Brock Bowers in the first round in 2024. Not only did Bowers become a first-team All-Pro in his rookie season, but Mayer had only 27 catches for 304 yards and two touchdowns in 14 games in his first year in 2023. He missed six games last season due to personal reasons and was barely heard from as Bowers excelled. It makes more sense for Vegas to trade Mayer for assets, and since he'll be on a team-friendly deal for two more years, there should be several teams that are interested. Mayer was completely off the fantasy radar in 2024, but he could resurface as a sleeper if he's traded to a team that utilizes him much more as a pass-catcher.