Who Should I Start? Trey McBride or Michael Mayer

Sunday, December 28, 8:14 PM

Arizona Cardinals tight end Trey McBride caught 10 of his 13 targets for 76 yards and one touchdown during Sunday's Week 17 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. McBride continues to be the top-scoring tight end in fantasy football this season, and he widened the gap between himself and the rest of the tight end position on Sunday afternoon. Along the way, he also set a new NFL record for most catches by a tight end in a single season. It's safe to say that McBride is the best and most dependable tight end in the league. He should continue to be deployed as a high-end TE1 in a pass-heavy game approach against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 18. He also figures to be the first tight end off the board (and a potential first-round pick) in 2026 fantasy football drafts.

Thursday, January 1, 9:10 AM

Las Vegas Raiders tight end Michael Mayer had the most productive game of his NFL career in Week 17, hauling in nine of 10 targets for 89 yards in the 34-10 loss to the New York Giants. With star tight end Brock Bowers (knee) on injured reserve, Mayer will have a full workload for the remainder of the 2025 season. Mayer played 93% of the snaps in Week 17, had a 36% target share, and accounted for over 50% of the team's passing yards. Quarterback Geno Smith threw for only 176 yards and one touchdown with two interceptions against the Giants, which will cap the tight end's upside if his struggles continue. With a tough matchup upcoming against the Kansas City Chiefs, who rank eighth in the NFL in fantasy points allowed to tight ends, Mayer will be a safe, high-volume option at the position in Week 18.