Who Should I Start? Jimmy Graham or Michael Mayer

Saturday, March 30, 12:21 PM

Free-agent tight end Jimmy Graham wrote on his Instagram account that he's "unsure of what the future holds" after "things ended rather quickly after the season." The 37-year-old returned to the New Orleans Saints last year and played in the NFL after sitting out in 2022 and found the end zone four times on his six catches on the season. Graham only racked up 39 receiving yards in 13 games (two starts). The five-time Pro Bowler was one of the best at his position in his prime with the Saints and Seattle Seahawks earlier in his career, but the 13-year veteran is nearing the end and could officially hang up his cleats this offseason if he doesn't get picked up by another team. If this is the end for Graham, he'd finish his successful NFL career with 719 career catches (1,115 targets) for 8,545 receiving yards and 89 touchdowns in 197 career regular-season games.

Tuesday, September 16, 12:45 PM

Las Vegas Raiders tight end Michael Mayer was a savvy waiver-wire pickup heading into Week 2 because star tight end Brock Bowers was questionable to play on Monday night against the Los Angeles Chargers due to a knee injury he picked up in the Week 1 win over the New England Patriots. However, Bowers was inactive in Monday's 20-9 loss and caught five of his eight targets for 38 yards. Meanwhile, Mayer once again took a back seat to Bowers in a Raiders offense that failed to find the end zone all night. The 24-year-old hauled in both of his targets for just nine yards against a stingy and stick Chargers D. The Raiders will continue to use Mayer alongside Bowers, but he's a distant No. 2 in Chip Kelly's offense and should only be rostered in TE-premium leagues. Mayer will not be a realistic fantasy starter going into Week 3 against the Washington Commanders.