Mike Gesicki — 2026 Fantasy Outlook

Gesicki's fantasy career has been a winding road: one elite season, a sharp fade, three quiet years in the wilderness, and then a surprise resurgence.

In 2021, he delivered the breakout that justified his upside billing, setting career highs in catches (73), receiving yards (780), and targets (112), finishing ninth in PPR tight end scoring at 165.00 points. The touchdowns (2) were the one disappointment, and his production was front-loaded, with a strong five-week run from Week 3 to Week 7 (34/386/2) giving way to a quieter final 10 games (36/353/0 on 61 targets).

A 2022 coaching change in Miami effectively ended his role there. New staff, concerns about his blocking, and a sharply reduced target share (52, down from 112) led to a steep decline (32 catches for 362 yards and five touchdowns), with just one game over 50 receiving yards (6/69/2). The touchdowns kept him marginally relevant; everything else pointed to a diminished role.

Poor quarterback play and a dysfunctional offense in New England in 2023 left him with 29 catches for 244 yards and two scores, and he failed to crack 10.00 PPR fantasy points in a single game, a worthless fantasy asset by any measure.

His first year in Cincinnati paved his comeback trail. Gesicki caught 65 of 83 targets for 665 yards and two touchdowns, finishing 13th in PPR tight end scoring at 143.40 points. He benefited from Tee Higgins' absences, with three of his five best games coming when Higgins was out (7/91, 7/73, 5/100/2). The Bengals leaned on him late, giving him eight or more targets in five games, including back-to-back strong finishes in Weeks 17 and 18 (10/86 and 8/68). It wasn't a full resurrection, but it was enough to offer starting stats in multiple matchups.

The lost and found was his home in 2025, leading to seven-year lows in catches (28) and targets (42). Gesicki missed four games midseason with a pectoral issue. He flashed in Week 14 (6/86/1), coming on the heels of seven games with fewer than 8.00 fantasy points in PPR formats. His only other outcome of value came in Week 16 (3/35/1).

He's best viewed as a sneaky backup tight end, with potential streamer value when injuries or bye weeks create a need, but not someone to build around, given his inconsistent floor. Gesicki should be found in the free agent pool until he reestablishes himself in Cincinnati’s offense.