Who Should I Start? Michael Mayer or Darnell Washington

Monday, July 8, 2:25 PM

The Athletic's Vic Tafur writes that it's the Las Vegas Raiders' plan to use more two-tight end sets this year involving rookie first-rounder Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer, who was a second-round selection in 2023. In addition, the Raiders will line up Bowers out wide and behind the quarterback at times to give the defense unique looks. It's not that the Raiders suddenly don't like Mayer now after drafting Bowers in the first round, but they just thought they couldn't pass up on Bowers' explosiveness and even turned down a team trying to trade up for him. While Mayer will still have a role in the offense in his second NFL season, he's going to take a back seat to Bowers in 2024 and will go undrafted in standard 12-team fantasy leagues this fall. Bowers, meanwhile has the potential for a Sam LaPorta-like season in his rookie campaign.

Monday, June 17, 2:40 PM

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Darnell Washington struggled last year during spring workouts, and nothing has changed a full year later. Washington has proven himself as a solid blocking tight end, but he's not going to be a 30-catch guy based on what we've seen from him in his second offseason. Even in offensive coordinator Arthur Smith's tight-end-friendly scheme, fantasy managers in deeper leagues shouldn't expect Washington to have much more offensive output than he had last year, when he went for seven catches on 10 targets for 61 yards and no touchdowns in 17 regular-season games (seven starts). The 22-year-old former third-round pick last year out of Georgia doesn't figure to be on the fantasy radar in redraft leagues in 2024 unless Pat Freiermuth misses time with an injury.