Michael Mayer — 2026 Fantasy Outlook

Mayer's calling card is his blocking, which should earn him consistent snaps at the NFL level and give offensive coordinators a reason to keep him on the field on early downs. That physicality comes with a trade-off; he can struggle to create separation off the line and at the top of his routes, limiting his receiving upside out of the gate. Most of his production comes closer to the line of scrimmage, though he's not without athleticism, running a respectable 4.70 in the 40 for the position. His reliable hands are a genuine asset, allowing him to make catches in tight windows where lesser tight ends come up short.

At Notre Dame, Mayer was a model of consistency across three seasons, catching 180 of 265 targets for 2,099 yards and 18 touchdowns. His yards-per-catch figure grew each year (from 10.7 to 11.8 to 12.1), suggesting gradual development as a route runner. His 2021 and 2022 seasons were nearly identical in production, and he closed out his college career with three 100-yard performances in his final season.

The transition to the NFL hasn’t developed as expected, and the Raiders closed his TE1 window by drafting Brock Bowers. He managed just one catch for two yards over his first four games as a rookie before flashing some promise with a 5/75 outing in Week 6 and a touchdown grab in Week 15. A toe injury ended his season early, but Las Vegas did give him TE1 snaps in 10 of his 14 games, signaling organizational belief in his role.

In year two, Brock Bowers hit the ground running, pushing Mayer's snap share down to 41.3%. He also missed six games early in the season due to a personal matter. When available, Mayer caught 21 of 32 targets for 156 yards without a touchdown, with his best showing coming in Week 14 with a 7/68 performance.

With Bowers injured last year, Mayer flashed in two games (5/50/1 and 9/89) while drawing TE1 snaps in six contests. Las Vegas had him on the field for 46.8% of their plays. He finished the year with 35 catches for 328 yards and one score across 50 targets.

He remains a reliable blocker and a complementary piece, but his path to fantasy relevance in Las Vegas looks narrow as long as Bowers is commanding the lion's share of tight end targets.