Tight End – Notre Dame
6’4” 265 lbs
2nd Round – 4th Pick (35th Overall) – Oakland Raiders
Michael Mayer was considered the best at the position for the better part of the past three years. He is known for his size and physical presence. He is not an elite athlete which is less than ideal. Additionally, he does terrific getting settled into zones in the defense to present open opportunities.
Mayer is not a matchup nightmare, but he is good at using his body to shield defenders from the ball when it is in flight. He’s a strong enough runner to earn yards after contact, but he’s not going to make a lot of defenders miss or keep his feet for long after the initial second effort. Additionally, he’s an in-line tight end or wing-back in a West Coast offense. That, or a multiple scheme with two tight end sets where he’s detached from the formation against zone coverage.
Fantasy Football Outlook
Mayer comes into a Josh McDaniel scheme where it is hard to not compare him to Rob Gronkowski. He also has a quarterback in Jimmy Garoppolo that loved to target George Kittle. Additionally, he enters an offense that no longer has Darren Waller via a trade, and Foster Moreau who retired recently due to his diagnosis of Hodgkin lymphoma. With this type of opening and the versatility he has within the scheme, Mayer should get significant targets in the middle of the field. As well as a reliable option in the red zone.
Mayer’s projected to instantly start in Las Vegas, having the chance for a significant opportunity for snaps early on. Finally, he should be a starter by some point early in the season.
2023 Projections:
- 15 Starts
- 55 Receptions
- 634 Receiving Yards
- 5 Touchdowns
Overall, that’s a decent TE2 season and a likely outcome for the position. As a TE2, Mayer is going to spend more time on your bench in redraft leagues. That, or maybe an option to go with if you punt at the position during the draft. However, he does have the high upside you look for later in the draft.
Additionally, he has only missed one game in his college career due to an ankle injury, which is important as it is often noted that the best kind of ability is availability.
Dynasty Outlook
As for your dynasty fantasy football leagues, Mayer’s popularity along with the scheme fits will make him a popular target in rookie drafts. That being said, the tight end position is one that only a few players jump to significant relevance. With that, Mayer should go no sooner than the middle of the second round.
Overall, Mayer has the potential in future seasons to become a TE1 as the position has wild variabilities. Unfortunately, he may not tick all the athleticism checkmarks that people generally look for at the position. However, the way he catches the ball versus defenders ultimately will be what can still give him the chance at this high-end fantasy football ceiling.
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