Who Should I Start? Pat Freiermuth or Michael Mayer

Wednesday, November 5, 12:29 AM

Pittsburgh Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth scored his third touchdown of the season in Sunday's 27-20 win over the AFC-leading Indianapolis Colts. Freiermuth has gotten rolling a bit after a slower start to the year, recording at least three receptions in each of the past three games and scoring all three touchdowns. The 27-year-old leads the team in receiving yards in that time and ranks as TE4 in total PPR points (44.1). It's fueled almost entirely by his five catches, 111-yard, two-touchdown performance against the horrendous Cincinnati Bengals defense on Thursday night in Week 7. The usage isn't there to justify Freiermuth all of a sudden jumping to TE1 status in fantasy. Freiermuth profiles as a low-end streaming option against the Chargers on Sunday Night Football in Week 10.

Tuesday, November 4, 12:38 PM

ESPN's Ryan McFadden writes that both Las Vegas Raiders tight ends Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer should see an increase in targets after the team traded receiver Jakobi Meyers to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Tuesday. Mayer was targeted seven times and had three catches for 26 yards in Sunday's overtime loss to the Jaguars. The Raiders used 12 personnel (two tight ends) more than any game this season in Week 9. In addition to Bowers and Mayer seeing more targets going forward, Tre Tucker will be the team's unquestioned WR1, with rookies Jack Bech and Dont'e Thornton Jr., and veteran Tyler Lockett seeing the field more. Although Mayer was targeted a season-high-tying seven times on Sunday, Bowers still overshadowed him with a monster 12-127-3 line. As long as Bowers remains healthy, Mayer will be a touchdown-dependent TE2 in fantasy.