Who Should I Start? Michael Mayer or Mason Taylor

Thursday, August 7, 3:53 PM

ESPN's Ryan McFadden reports that Las Vegas Raiders tight end Michael Mayer has been a standout in training camp. The Notre Dame product flashed during his rookie campaign, but the addition of Brock Bowers in 2024 was a detriment to Mayer's playing time. While Bowers and new quarterback Geno Smith have quickly gotten on the same page, Mayer has had an excellent camp of his own. The 24-year-old has been an offensive standout since OTAs, per McFadden, who also notes offensive coordinator Chip Kelly has "big plans" for him in 2025. There are undoubtedly targets up for grabs in the Raiders' offense, and Mayer may play a nice role for them. However, that translating to fantasy isn't a guarantee. Bowers and wide receiver Jakobi Meyers are worth rostering for now, but Mayer will have to impress in preseason action before he's worthy of fantasy managers' attention in drafts.

Tuesday, August 12, 3:08 PM

New York Jets rookie tight end Mason Taylor (ankle) has returned to training camp practice and is a full-go, according to Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic. Taylor has recovered quickly from what was being called a high-ankle sprain. The 21-year-old second-rounder missed the team's preseason opener last week, but now that he's back to full practices, he should be able to suit up for Saturday's second preseason game against the New York Giants. Fantasy managers in redraft leagues are probably going to ignore Taylor in 12-team leagues, but it's worth noting that he's fully expected to open the year as the Jets' top pass-catching tight end. The Jets' offense is expected to lean heavily on the ground game, but quarterback Justin Fields won't have many weapons to throw to outside of WR1 Garrett Wilson. Taylor should be a TE3 with upside for more.