Who Should I Start? Michael Mayer or Brenton Strange


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
5.0 0.0 0.0 2.2 21.3 0.1

Michael Mayer News

Michael Mayer Could See Increased Role

Wednesday, July 22, 5:20 PM

Las Vegas Raiders tight end Michael Mayer put together a career-year last season. Across 13 games, Mayer hauled in 35 receptions for 328 receiving yards and one touchdown. Both the receptions and yardage are career highs for the 25-year-old. His overall ceiling is going to be limited because Brock Bowers is ahead of him on the depth chart. The good news for Mayer is that new head coach Klint Kubiak deploys a two tight end set at the same time. The assumption is that more time on the field will lead to more involvement in the offense for Mayer. He's not someone who needs to be rostered in 12-team formats to start the season. However, he'll be a popular waiver wire candidate if Bowers ever goes down.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
8.9 0.0 0.0 3.5 38.0 0.3

Brenton Strange News

Brenton Strange a High-Upside Streaming Option in 2026

Friday, July 17, 10:00 AM

After recording career highs of 46 receptions, 540 yards, and three touchdowns in 2025, Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Brenton Strange agreed to a three-year extension worth up to $48 million dollars, and the only thing truly working against him heading into 2026 is the overall depth of the Jaguars' pass catchers. While certainly a luxury problem for an NFL offense, fantasy managers could face the frustration of trying to determine how targets will be allotted on a week-to-week basis. Jacksonville comes into the season with an impressive receiver room of Brian Thomas Jr., Parker Washington, Jakobi Meyers, and two-way player Travis Hunter, a foursome that did not see a single snap together in 2025. Working in Strange's favor is the obvious positional advantage that should see him on the field at close to an every-down rate. Strange missed five games in 2025 with a hip injury that landed him on injured reserve, but in returning for the final seven games of the regular season, he closed the year as the TE8. Now pushed entirely out of most drafts by the uncertainty of his situation, Strange remains a high-upside swing in deeper leagues, and at RotoBaller's TE18, he is certain to enter into the weekly streaming conversation in 2026.


Michael Mayer vs. Brenton Strange

Still trying to decide between Mayer and Strange? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Michael Mayer is projected to score 5.0 points this week while Brenton Strange is projected to score 8.9 points.