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    Mayer goes 3/32/1 in historic TE scoring day

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    Michael Mayer caught 3-of-3 targets for 32 yards and one touchdown in the Raiders’ Week 3 win over the Saints.

    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.
Bills could take advantage of Ravens' defense
Jay Croucher and Drew Dinsick dissect the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens matchup; Croucher believes the Bills may expose the Ravens' sluggish defense.

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  • LV Tight End #87
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    Mayer benefited from a pass-heavy second half for the Raiders as they once again faced a big deficit. He ran a pass route on 38 of the Raiders’ 49 drop backs. With four games of at least five targets, Mayer profiles as a desperation play in tight end premium games and a 12-team option if Brock Bowers misses time.
  • LV Tight End #87
    This is the second time in three weeks that Mayer has popped up for a big performance. With Brock Bowers blanketed for much of the first half, Mayer stepped up to catch five passes for 52 yards in the first half, and he ripped off an impressive 28-yard reception in the second half on a drive that ended with a Matt Gay field goal. Playing behind Bowers continues to make Mayer a risky fantasy bet, but he’s averaging 6.7 targets in his last three games, which is buoyed by this week’s nine-target game and a 10-target outing in Week 4 against the Chiefs. With a few reliable tight ends on bye in Week 7, Mayer could have some viability as a dart throw next week against the Rams.
  • LV Tight End #87
    Mayer and the rest of the Vegas pass catchers took a backseat to Brock Bowers, who had a team-leading ten targets for 110 yards and a touchdown before the Raiders pulled their starters in the fourth quarter of this blowout loss. Mayer was fresh off an 82-yard outing (on ten targets) against Kansas City. He should remain on waivers ahead of Week 6’s game against the Bills.
  • LV Tight End #87
    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.
  • LV Tight End #87
    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.
  • LV Tight End #87
    Mayer was seemingly set for a sizable workload, going 3-of-3 for 21 yards on the Raiders’ first drive. He caught his fourth pass on the second drive, which was punched out and recovered by the Dolphins, but the play was overturned. For his part, Mayer looked good on short in-breakers and out routes, and his six receptions tie for a team-high. The Raiders simply got up to a 10-0 lead early in the second quarter and controlled the game thereafter, leaving the passing offense to take a backseat role to the Raiders’ ground game. Mayer can be started as a TE1 again next week against the Chargers.
  • LV Tight End #87
    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.
  • LV Tight End #89
    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.
  • LV Tight End #87
    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.
  • LV Tight End #89
    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.

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    49ers general manager John Lynch said the team would continue starting Eddy Pineiro after the team’s Week 7 bye.

    Lynch in a Tuesday interview acknowledged Pineiro is “going through a rough patch” but committed to sticking with him for now. “We have a lot of belief in Eddie,” Lynch added. “He has had a tough run early this year, but we extended Eddie for his body of work with us but then throughout the history of his career.” Pineiro has missed three of his nine field goal tries on the season and four of his 25 extra point attempts. Pineiro, who made 96 percent of his field goal tries in 2025, will have at least a couple more games before the Niners brings in kicker competition.
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    Seahawks acquired Quenten Nelson from the Colts in exchange for a 2027 third-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick.

    With the Colts’ season all but over, the team could trade away a series of key player as they look toward a total tear down/rebuild scenario following the 2026 season. That includes Nelson, an eight-time Pro Bowler who now has a chance to compete for a title now that he’s out of Indianapolis. Nelson will join a Seattle offensive line that ranks 21st in pass blocking win rate and 27th in run blocking win rate. His addition should be a boon for Sam Darnold and the Seahawks’ pass catchers.
  • MIN Quarterback #1
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    The Athletic’s Alec Lewis believes Kyler Murray is still “acclimating to the [Vikings’] progression-based passing game.”

    Minnesota’s offensive ineptitude has reached stunning levels in recent weeks, including last Sunday against the Colts, when Murray had 150 yards and a touchdown while completing 58 percent of his pass attempts. “We’ll continue to get better,” Murray said Sunday night. “I know we will. I know we keep saying that, but I felt like we moved the ball well (against the Colts). We’ve just got to put the ball in the end zone.” The Vikings, who rank 25th in pass rate over expected this season, have operated conservatively on offense while their defense dismantles opponents week in and week out. As Lewis pointed out, the 2026 Vikings are the first team in a century to win five straight games with five or fewer TDs over that span. Murray through Week 7 ranks 28th out of 40 qualifying QBs in EPA per pass attempt and 33rd in fantasy points per drop back.
    Gary Davenport breaks down the fantasy football defense landscape headed into Week 8 of the 2026 NFL season.

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    NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports Vega Ioane suffered an MCL injury and will miss time.

    Ioane went down with a knee injury on Sunday against the Bengals and did not return to the game. Though Rapoport said the injury is not considered long term, Ioane — an impressive rookie — will be sidelined for a while. Baltimore’s offensive line ranks 20th in pass block win rate and 19th in run block win rate, according to ESPN.
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    Dallas Goedert caught 5-of-7 targets for 48 yards in the Eagles’ Week 7 loss to the Cowboys.

    Goedert has now returned consecutive games of middling production with Tanner McKee under center, which is a somewhat troubling realization considering DeVonta Smith missed both games and Dontayvion Wicks departed Week 6 with an injury before missing Week 7. Goedert’s fantasy value appears strictly tied to the state of a sinking Philadelphia ball club, now fighting through declining quarterback play in addition to poor offensive structure and shoddy play calling. Fantasy managers are likely forced to endure the middling production for lack of better options.
  • PHI Wide Receiver #9
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    Makai Lemon caught 7-of-8 targets for 67 yards and a touchdown in the Eagles’ Week 7 loss to the Cowboys.

    Lemon showed out with the best game of his career in the absence of both DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks, operating as the top option through the air throughout the game against the Cowboys. He started his night off with a 21-yard reception on the team’s first possession before adding a fourth quarter touchdown on a quick slant from four yards out. The uncertainty surrounding Smith’s injury could leave Lemon as the de facto lead receiver for a Week 8 divisional tilt against the Commanders, where his fantasy value will be strictly tied to the availability of the other receivers on the roster.
  • PHI Quarterback #16
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    Tanner McKee completed 23-of-35 passes for 211 yards, one touchdown, and one interception in the Eagles’ 38-21, Week 7 loss to the Cowboys, adding one yard on one carry.

    McKee looked to be comfortable in the pocket to start but things quickly unravelled, with the veteran backup unable to improve upon a 21-yard completion to rookie Makai Lemon in the first quarter as he remained incapable of attacking downfield. Lemon would also be the recipient of McKee’s lone touchdown toss, marking the second consecutive start with just one touchdown pass in relief of Jalen Hurts. The offense looked far more functional while Saquon Barkley was on the field, but the veteran back was in and out of the lineup from the second quarter through the fourth, before ultimately being deemed questionable to return and missing the final frame. The Eagles drop their fifth straight for the first time since 2016 as they fall further behind the Giants for the division lead. McKee is not worth rostering ahead of a Week 8 divisional tilt against the Commanders.
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    Jake Ferguson failed to catch his lone target in the Cowboys’ Week 7 win over the Eagles.

    Ferguson has almost entirely fallen out of favor in the Dallas offense. He has yet to catch more than four balls, clear 43 yards, or see more than six targets in a game this season, leaving his fantasy value in the dumps when he’s held out of the end zone. Ferguson will be a difficult start despite a glowing matchup against the Cardinals in Week 8.
  • DAL Wide Receiver #19
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    Ryan Flournoy caught all four targets for 70 yards in the Cowboys’ Week 7 win over the Eagles.

    Flournoy is not typically going to see elite volume while playing alongside two true alphas in CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens, but he continues to outproduce tight end Jake Ferguson as the preferred third option through the air. His big play potential showed against the Eagles as he caught a 35-yard dime early. Flournoy is, at minimum, worthy of a bench spot and could work his way into viable FLEX territory with another solid outing against the downtrodden Cardinals in Week 8.
  • DAL Wide Receiver #88
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    CeeDee Lamb caught 5-of-12 targets for 74 yards and two touchdowns in the Cowboys’ Week 7 win over the Eagles.

    It wasn’t a clean game for the alpha wide receiver by any stretch, who committed two drops and caught only five of his team-leading 12 targets. Despite the poor efficiency, Lamb made the plays he needed to when it mattered most, scoring from nine yards out on a fade to the back corner of the end zone and from 16 yards out on a similar play to the opposite sideline. Lamb has now seen 56 targets in his previous four games, with 12 or more in three of his last four. That level of volume keeps him in elite company near the top of rest-of-season wide receiver rankings in fantasy circles, where he will remain ahead of a Week 8 matchup against the Cardinals at home.