Who Should I Start? Michael Mayer or Brock Bowers

Monday, December 29, 9:33 AM

Las Vegas Raiders third-year player out of Notre Dame, Michael Mayer, stepped in for the injured Brock Bowers (knee) on Sunday, and dominated, hauling in nine of his 10 targets for 89 yards. The 10 targets were the most on the team, with Tre Tucker with the second most at six targets. With Bowers landing on the Injured Reserve and set to miss the rest of the 2025 season, Mayer will have an opportunity to continue to showcase his skill set for one more game before the regular season is over. Entering Week 18, Mayer will be in the low-end TE1 conversation against the Kansas City Chiefs, who also have had their fair share of injuries. The biggest question to monitor with Mayer would be whether Geno Smith (ankle) or Kenny Pickett will be throwing him passes. Regardless, Mayer should dominate target share, and because of that, find himself as a valuable fantasy asset in most 12-team or larger leagues.

Wednesday, December 24, 11:30 AM

Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers (knee) has been placed on Injured Reserve, ending his 2025 season, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. Pelissero notes that Bowers has been battling a lingering knee injury since Week 1, and the 2-13 Raiders are now focused on making sure their star tight end is fully healthy for 2026. Across 12 games this season, the 23-year-old recorded 64 receptions for 680 yards and seven touchdowns on 86 targets. With Bowers sidelined, Raiders tight end Michael Mayer is likely in line for a spike in both playing time and target share. Across a two-game stretch in Weeks 6 and 7 with Bowers inactive, Mayer recorded six catches for 60 yards and a touchdown on nine targets. For fantasy managers now left scrambling to fill the tight end position, Mayer could be a solid streamer in Week 17 against the New York Giants.