Who Should I Start? Michael Mayer or Jake Tonges
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
Thursday, August 6, 10:16 AM
Las Vegas Raiders tight end Michael Mayer (nose) returned to training camp practice on Thursday, according to Sam Warren of The Athletic. Mayer missed a few practices after busting his nose during practice on Monday. The 25-year-old will return to working as the No. 2 tight end in Vegas behind Brock Bowers. The former second-rounder in 2023 from Notre Dame has yet to really make an impact for fantasy managers in his first three seasons in the NFL, and that will likely continue as long as Bowers stays healthy. Bowers dealt with a knee injury last year, which allowed Mayer to have career highs in catches (35), targets (50), and receiving yards (328) while scoring just once in 13 games played. The Raiders figure to use more two-tight-end sets in 2026 under new head coach Klint Kubiak, but that's unlikely to be enough to make Mayer a weekly starting option, even in two-TE fantasy leagues. Mayer opens his fourth NFL season ranked as RotoBaller's No. 35 fantasy TE. If Bowers misses time with an injury again, Mayer would become a priority waiver-wire addition.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 14.1 | 0.1 |
Jake Tonges News
Monday, July 27, 11:38 AM
San Francisco 49ers tight end Jake Tonges was active during the team's first training camp practice Sunday, with 49ers.com reporting that quarterback Brock Purdy connected with him during team periods. The report did not include a target or reception total, so the early involvement should not be treated as evidence of a major role change. Tonges caught 34 passes for 293 yards and five touchdowns across 17 games in 2025 after entering the season without a regular-season NFL reception. Four of those touchdowns came from inside the opponent's 20-yard line, and San Francisco re-signed him to a two-year contract in March. Tonges could receive additional opportunities while George Kittle (Achilles) remains on the Active/PUP list, though Luke Farrell, Brayden Willis, and Tanner McLachlan are also part of the tight end room. Tonges is worth monitoring in deeper formats during Kittle's recovery, but one early camp connection with Purdy is not enough to establish a dependable fantasy role.
Michael Mayer vs. Jake Tonges
Still trying to decide between Mayer and Tonges? 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 Jake Tonges is projected to score 3.5 points.
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