Who Should I Start? Michael Mayer or Mason Taylor

Friday, September 26, 5:17 PM

Las Vegas Raiders tight end Michael Mayer (concussion) has officially been ruled out for the Week 4 game this Sunday against the Chicago Bears, according to Ryan McFadden of ESPN. Mayer suffered a concussion in the Week 3 loss to the Washington Commanders last Sunday and was unable to practice all week. The 24-year-old will look to clear the league's concussion protocol next week and play in Week 5 against the Indianapolis Colts. Mayer will remain involved in the Raiders' offense when he's healthy, but he can't realistically be considered a starting fantasy option with Brock Bowers soaking up heavy targets in front of him. Through three weeks, Mayer has only six catches on seven targets for 47 yards and no touchdowns. Bowers should have a bounce-back game in Week 4 against Chicago against a soft Bears defense with Mayer out.

Tuesday, September 30, 1:21 PM

New York Jets tight end Mason Taylor again saw increased volume in his team's 27-21 loss to the Miami Dolphins in Week 4. The rookie set all new career-highs in Monday night's defeat, corralling 5-of-7 targets for 65 yards. In addition to those marks being new personal bests, they were good enough for second on the team behind wide receiver Garrett Wilson. After the solid outing, it's clear that this passing attack will funnel through Taylor, Wilson, and running back Breece Hall, as they're lapping the field in target share. Wilson commands most of quarterback Justin Fields' attention, so the LSU product will be subject to games with limited target quantities. However, he's an ascending asset with a TE1 finish under his belt. Taylor will have an excellent chance to continue his string of success in Week 5 against a Cowboys team that is friendly for fantasy.