News

1. Oct 5
   Mayer caught eight of 10 targets for 82 yards in Sunday's 30-27 loss to the Chiefs.

   Mayer led the Raiders in catches while finishing four receiving yards and one target shy of Brock Bowers' team-high totals. Kirk Cousins has relied heavily on his tight ends in the passing game, and even third-stringer Ian Thomas got in on the fun with a 27-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter. Bowers will continue to lead the position group in Week 5 against the Patriots, but Mayer remains an integral part of Vegas' offense as well.

   RotoWire via ESPN
2. Sep 28
   Mayer caught all three of his targets for 32 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 35-27 win over the Saints.

   Brock Bowers made his season debut after recovering from minor knee surgery and made an immediate statement with a 10-116-1 line on 13 targets, but Mayer didn't vanish completely from the game plan as a receiver and hauled in his first score of the year in the second quarter. The three targets were still a season low for Mayer, after he compiled a 9-55-0 line on 11 looks from Kirk Cousins during Bowers' absence. As long as Bowers remains healthy, Mayer will struggle to make a consistent impact.

   RotoWire via ESPN
3. Sep 27
   Mayer is projected to return to a No. 2 role in Sunday's game against the Saints due to Brock Bowers (knee) being ruled active for the contest.

   Mayer filled in for his star teammate over the first two games of the season, serving as a solid complementary option for Kirk Cousins while generating a 9-55-0 line on 11 targets. However, Bowers' availability Sunday naturally relegates Mayer back to his customary backup role, one in which he may find targets hard to come by against New Orleans.

   RotoWire via ESPN
4. Sep 21
   Mayer brought in three of four targets for 23 yards in the Raiders' 26-14 win over the Chargers on Sunday.

   Mayer served as the No. 1 tight end for the second straight game to open the season due to Brock Bowers' (knee) absence. Mayer played a complementary and mostly short-area role as expected, but through his two starts, he's posted a serviceable a 9-55-0 line on 11 targets. Bowers reportedly could be healthy enough to play in a Week 3 road matchup against the Saints, a development that would relegate Mayer to his usual No. 2 role.

   RotoWire via ESPN
5. Sep 14
   Fantasy football free agent pickups: Shough, Black, Coker highlight top options for Week 2

   Each Monday, before the current NFL week ends, we will identify players worthy of your attention available in at least 50% of ESPN standard leagues. Things change quickly for player valuation and roles each week in the NFL, and free agency is a critical way to acquire players. We are here to help! Top pickup options at every position Looking for the top recommendation at each skill position? Look no further! Here are the players to target heading into Week 2 Tyler Shough, QB, Saints (rostered in 46.7% of leagues): Shough, ranked 19th among quarterbacks in roster percentage, started slowly versus the Detroit Lions, then ended up skewering them for 23.2 PPR points. Yes, he had the aid of overtime and he didn't face a strong secondary. Still, that's 410 passing yards and three touchdowns. Week 2 at the Baltimore Ravens should be tougher. Shough merely continued his fine play from late in his rookie season, when he was a borderline QB1 option for fantasy during his nine starts. He might be underrated even in standard 10-team formats. Kaelon Black, RB, 49ers (15.4%): Black, the third-round pick from Indiana, looked excellent in the Week 1 rout of the Los Angeles Rams in Australia. Black turned 15 touches into 70 yards and 8.0 fantasy points, while Christian McCaffrey scored 13.8 points on his 15 touches. Perhaps the 49ers only split the touches this way due to the unique circumstances, such as the lopsided score and/or the long travel. Perhaps Week 2 will see McCaffrey dominate the volume against the Miami Dolphins. Adding Black with the intention of expecting relevant fantasy numbers in Week 2 is folly. However, adding Black just in case it happens again, or McCaffrey — with a track record of injuries — gets hurt again? That makes sense. Jalen Coker, WR, Panthers (50.7%): Coker is just a tad on the other side of 50%, but he's worth bending our rules just a little bit. Coker, who finished last season strong and earned himself a three-year contract, was more productive with his nine targets — catching eight passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns — than his universally rostered teammate Tetairoa McMillan, who caught just five passes for 75 yards. This does not mean Coker will clearly outscore McMillan in Week 2, or for the month of September or the entire season. But it sure doesn't mean he won't, either. Coker and pals hit the road for Week 2 in Atlanta, where he should be on the field (even though he was seen wearing a boot on Monday) and the Panthers should be able to throw the football. Mike Gesicki, TE, Bengals (1.5%): The oft-overlooked Gesicki caught 78 yards worth of passes, including a 2-yard touchdown grab. No Bengal surpassed him in receptions, receiving yards or targets. Plus, he caught the team's lone touchdown pass. That should not continue, obviously, with Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins healthy. Still, Gesicki, 30, was a relevant fantasy option as recently as two seasons ago, when he caught 65 passes. He might be relevant again. Other quarterbacks Jordan Love, Packers (42.2%): Love probably deserves a bit more, um, love in fantasy leagues, but there is also a reason 19 other passers are more popular. Love fell short of 3,400 passing yards in both of the past two seasons and he is barely a factor in the running game, with only one rushing touchdown over that span. Do not overrate his performance (387 passing yards) versus the Minnesota Vikings or assume the Packers consistently will throw more with RB Josh Jacobs absent. Malik Willis, Dolphins (21%): A dynamic runner, Willis scored more than half his fantasy points in Week 1 via his legs, with 39 rushing yards and a touchdown. Miami's passing game did not impress, but if Willis continues to run — and he should — a potential QB1 option lurks. Bryce Young, Panthers (11.1%): Young eclipsed 300 passing yards three times in his first 44 NFL starts, so the fact he did so in Sunday's loss to the lopsided Chicago Bears (all offense, no defense) is relevant but not necessa

   ESPN

Injury reports

No injury reports this season.

League history

Nothing yet: he hasn’t been drafted, signed, traded or cut in this league.