Mayer ties for team-high 6 catches, plus 32 yards

Mayer’s 10 targets were just one fewer than what Brock Bowers (11) saw on the day. Mayer made the most of his opportunities, racking up 82 yards—the second most in his career and saw four of his receptions come on the Raiders’ first four drives of the game. On the Raiders’ fourth drive, Mayer hauled in passes of two, seven, and 17 yards, with his longest catch setting up a 48-yard field goal just before halftime to put them up 13-10. We shouldn’t expect this level of production from Mayer on a weekly basis, but the Raiders’ underwhelming WR corps could pave the way for more opportunities for Mayer going forward after this solid outing. There’s a lot to like here, but Mayer will be a boom-or-bust TE2 next week against the Patriots until we see reliable target totals on a more consistent basis, while he shares the field with Brock Bowers.

Mayer scored with just under six minutes left in the first half. Coach Klint Kubiak sent Brock Bowers in motion, back and forth across the formation, behind the line of scrimmage, before Kirk Cousins executed the play-action fake. Mayer ran an out route from the slot and shook Saints defender Justin Reid on the cut before quickly hauling in the pass. Mayer’s other two catches both went for double-digit yardage gains. He will be a viable TE2 moving forward, with defenses focused on stopping Bowers.

Brock Bowers missed his second game of the year while recovering from a mensicus trim procedure, giving Mayer another opportunity to start. He led the Raiders in routes but failed to make a big impact in the box score, logging a measly 14 percent target share. Mayer is generally in the TE2 mix when Bowers is out, but even then he isn’t a particularly high-upside option. With Bowers expected to return next week, Mayer can be sent back to the waiver wire on the upcoming waivers run.

The deal was first reported by NFL Insider Ian Rapoport. Mayer’s deal includes $30 million guaranteed and his $15 million average annual value is third among tight ends. The Raiders selected Mayer in the second-round (35th overall) of the 2023 NFL Draft. He had 300 yards as a rookie and the Raiders drafted Brock Bowers 13th overall the following year. Mayer is firmly on the fantasy radar for Week 1 against the Dolphins with Bowers (knee) sidelined, but his value is unstable as the Raiders’ second tight end.

Earlier today, Raiders coach Klint Kubiak said he was initially optimistic that Bowers could play in Week 1, even after undergoing a recent meniscus trim, which is surprising. Kubiak, however, declined to discuss an updated return timeline for his star tight end. We do not yet know when he is expected back. In the meantime, Michael Mayer is a TE1 this week.

Mayer, 25, immediately vaults into the TE1 tier, especially with a matchup against the Dolphins’ defense upcoming in Week 1. Mayer banked two top-five finishes last season, notably catching 9-of-10 targets for 89 yards in Week 17 with Bowers on injured reserve.

Raiders No. 2 TE Michael Mayer should be added wherever available. On the plus side, this does not appear to be a long-term absence, but missing Bowers for a couple of games is obviously concerning. According to Schefter, Bowers “got banged up ‘a little in camp’ and the injury was diagnosed last week.” With any luck, fantasy managers can expect to get their TE1 back for the Raiders’ Week 3 game against the Saints. Mayer is a TE1 in the meantime.

Someone has to catch passes here, and the Raiders don’t have a single receiver who has cracked 700 yards in an NFL season. Both GM John Spytek and Kubiak have touted the idea of playing in bigger personnel. It’s certainly possible that Mayer gets more of a role in 2026, but with Brock Bowers ahead of him in the pecking order, Mayer probably belongs in the low-end TE2 pecking order until we see a firm role.

Coming off a career day (nine catches, 89 yards) in Week 17, Mayer was limited to a couple grabs in a low-octane game against the Chiefs. Mayer finishes 2025 with 32 catches for 281 yards and a touchdown as the Raiders’ distant No. 2 tight end behind Brock Bowers. He proved viable as a fantasy starter when Bowers was out, but the Raiders proved unable to feed multiple tight ends. Mayer, with 82 receptions and 767 yards over 37 NFL games, will return to Vegas for his fourth season, and could get an extension if the Raiders plan on using him more in 2026.

Mayer showed off his versatility in this one, lining up all over the formation. He nearly hauled in a pass on a short crossing route from the Giants’ 12-yard line, but QB Geno Smith’s pass was off the mark, allowing Giants LB Bobby Okereke to snatch the ball away, robbing Mayer of a potential catch-and-run touchdown. Aside from that, Mayer regularly picked up chunk gains between the 20s. He remains a TE1 against the Chiefs in Week 18, though Kenny Pickett could get the start with Geno Smith suffering a high-ankle sprain today.