Michael Mayer's Stats, Metrics, Game Logs, Projections & Rankings

Las Vegas Raiders tight end Michael Mayer (personal) was placed on the reserve/Non-Football Injury and Illness list, according to Field Yates of ESPN. Mayer has not suited up since Week 3 due to a personal matter and is now expected to miss more time. The Notre Dame product enjoyed a productive rookie campaign, as he caught 27 passes for 304 yards and two scores. While Mayer remains away from the team, fantasy managers should expect rookie Brock Bowers to continue to see the vast majority of snaps at the position, and remains a high-end option for the foreseeable future.

Las Vegas Raiders tight end Michael Mayer (personal) missed practice all week and has been ruled out for the Week 5 contest on the road in Denver against the division-rival Broncos. Mayer left the team to tend to a personal matter last week, so this will be his second straight absence. It's bad timing for the 23-year-old, too, with receiver Davante Adams (hamstring) also missing a second straight game. He has taken a clear back seat to impressive rookie Brock Bowers at the position through his first three games in 2024, with Mayer catching only four of his seven targets for 21 yards and no touchdowns. Bowers disappointed last week with Adams and Mayer out, but he's a weekly TE1 play for fantasy managers. With Mayer out again this week, Harrison Bryant should have a bigger role once again behind Bowers. Bryant isn't worth starting in fantasy.

Las Vegas Raiders tight end Michael Mayer (personal) has been ruled out for the Week 4 contest on Sunday against the visiting Cleveland Browns. Mayer didn't practice due to a personal matter on Thursday and now will not be with the team at all this weekend. Top receiver Davante Adams (hamstring) has also been ruled out, so Jakobi Meyers and Tre Tucker now figure to be quarterback Gardner Minshew II's top targets in the passing game, as well as rookie tight end Brock Bowers. Harrison Bryant should have a bigger role behind Bowers with Mayer out, but he remains off the fantasy radar. Tucker is worth consideration as a WR4/flex play in deeper fantasy leagues with Adams officially out. It's unclear how long Mayer will be away from the team. The 23-year-old former second-rounder has taken a clear back seat to Bowers and has four catches for 21 yards through three games in 2024.

The Athletic's Vic Tafur writes that it's the Las Vegas Raiders' plan to use more two-tight end sets this year involving rookie first-rounder Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer, who was a second-round selection in 2023. In addition, the Raiders will line up Bowers out wide and behind the quarterback at times to give the defense unique looks. It's not that the Raiders suddenly don't like Mayer now after drafting Bowers in the first round, but they just thought they couldn't pass up on Bowers' explosiveness and even turned down a team trying to trade up for him. While Mayer will still have a role in the offense in his second NFL season, he's going to take a back seat to Bowers in 2024 and will go undrafted in standard 12-team fantasy leagues this fall. Bowers, meanwhile has the potential for a Sam LaPorta-like season in his rookie campaign.

Las Vegas Raiders tight end Michael Mayer, who is heading into his second year in the NFL, is excited to work with rookie tight end Brock Bowers, who the Raiders selected in the first round this year. Bowers fell to the Raiders at No. 13 overall. "He's fast. He's got great hands. He can block. He can do it all. I feel like we can both do it all," Mayer said. Mayer wasn't all that involved in the Raiders' offense in his rookie campaign, catching just 27 passes for 304 yards and two touchdowns in 14 games played. Given Bowers' pedigree, Mayer figures to be the No. 2 TE in 2024, even in 12 personnel, which the Raiders ran just 14.2% of the time last year. Unless Bowers misses time due to an injury in his first year in the league, Mayer is going to have a hard time standing out for fantasy managers.