Who Should I Start? Isaiah Likely or Michael Mayer

Wednesday, July 30, 8:24 AM

Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely reportedly suffered a small fracture in his foot. Likely rolled his ankle during practice on Tuesday, with the injury initially believed to only keep him out a few weeks. According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, Likely should be able to return to the field early in the season and could be ready for Week 1 if his recovery goes smoothly. Likely's injury clears the way for Mark Andrews to be the only tight-end target in the Baltimore offense after the former siphoned work away from Andrews during the 2024 season. Likely was popping up as a sleeper option at tight end in fantasy drafts, but his injury makes it a bit more risky to use a late-round draft pick on him.

Monday, June 30, 9:19 PM

The Las Vegas Review-Journal's Vincent Bonsignore reports that the Las Vegas Raiders are not interested in trading tight end Michael Mayer. It comes after reports that the Miami Dolphins were interested in acquiring Mayer from the Raiders after trading tight end Jonnu Smith to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Monday. Mayer is scheduled to make $1.6 million in 2025 and $2 million in 2026 and took a back seat in 2024 to rookie Brock Bowers, catching just 21 of 32 targets for 156 yards and no touchdowns in 11 games (eight starts) in his second year in the NFL. The 23-year-old Notre Dame product caught 27 passes for 304 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie. There have been reports suggesting he'll have a bigger role in 2025 in two-tight end sets in new offensive coordinator Chip Kelly's scheme, but as long as Bowers is healthy, he'll be the second fiddle at the position if he stays in Vegas.