Michael Mayer Fantasy Football Profile: 2023 NFL Rookies and Sleepers

Jackson Sparks' fantasy football rookie analysis for tight end Michael Mayer. Is this NFL rookie TE a 2023 fantasy football draft sleeper?

Former Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer was a blue-chip prospect coming out of high school, then lived up to the hype with a monster career for the Irish. In just three seasons with the team, Mayer established himself as one of the most productive pass-catchers in the school's history.

Mayer carried TE1 hype throughout the pre-draft process but ultimately ended up being the third player at the position selected in the 2023 NFL Draft. Still, he was an early round-two pick in April, so he has plenty of fantasy football intrigue at the scarce position.

What did Mayer accomplish during his Notre Dame career and what is his fantasy football outlook with the Las Vegas Raiders as a rookie and beyond? Let's dive into his rookie profile!

Michael Mayer NFL Rookie Profile

Team: Las Vegas Raiders

College: Notre Dame

Height: 6’4 1/2"

Weight 249

Age: 21 (7/06/2001)

Arm Length: 31 5/8"

Hand Size: 9.5"

2022 NFL Draft: Round 2, Pick: 4

Michael Mayer's Freshman Flash

Mayer's first collegiate season was in 2020 during the Covid-19-affected season, and he started the year behind Tommy Tremble and Brock Wright on the depth chart. He played in all 12 games, starting four, and posted 42 receptions for 450 yards and two touchdowns.

A true freshman catching 42 passes is nothing short of impressive, and he set the stage for the big-time production to come in his sophomore and junior campaigns.

2021 Breakout Campaign

Mayer entered the 2021 season with high expectations, and he did nothing but deliver. The Kentucky native hauled in 23 more passes (71) than any other Notre Dame pass-catcher, finished second on the team in receiving yards (840), and tied wide receiver Kevin Austin for the most receiving touchdowns on the team (seven).

He also established himself as a tenacious blocker and physical receiver after the catch and earned third-team All-American honors, finishing just behind Brock Bowers and Trey McBride.

He likely would've been the top tight end selected in the weak 2022 tight end class if he could have declared for the draft after his sophomore campaign, but he had unfinished business in South Bend and was set for another All-American season.

Final Collegiate Season

Long-time Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly departed for the LSU job during the offseason leading up to his junior year, so defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman took over.

The Irish offense ranked 96th of out 129 FBS teams in passing yards per game. The quarterback job was occupied by Tyler Buchner and Drew Pyne – and they totaled just 2,162 passing yards in 12 regular season games. Still, Mayer found a way to produce big numbers in the lackluster offense.

Mayer posted a 35.8% college dominator rating in 2022. College dominator rating represents a player’s “market share” of the percentage of his team’s offensive production. In other words, Mayer accounted for 35.8% of his team's total receiving yards and receiving touchdowns – a 95th-percentile clip.

As shown by the overall statistics above, Mayer was far and away the team's No. 1 option in the passing game and posted an elite season when considering the overall quality of the Irish passing offense. He never eclipsed 1,000 yards and double-digit touchdowns, but in an offense as bad as Notre Dame's during his final season, it would be nearly impossible to do more than he did.

In just three seasons, Mayer passed players such as Golden Tate, Will Fuller, Tyler Eifert, and Chase Claypool in career receptions for the storied football program.

Michael Mayer Draft Stock Movement

Mayer's college production was never in doubt, but his athleticism at the 2023 NFL Combine seemed to make his stock drop. Athleticism has been a key factor in tight end success, so when he completed on-field work at the combine and ended up being just a "solid" athlete instead of an elite one, he was no longer viewed as the clear-cut TE1 in the class.

Still, Mayer was projected to be a late-first-round pick just before draft time and was rumored to be the Cowboys' top target at pick No. 26.

Michael Mayer Mock Draft Data

Dalton Kincaid ended up being the only tight end selected in the first round, and Iowa's Sam LaPorta was taken as the second tight end off the board, just one spot ahead of Mayer. Both were taken within the first four picks of round two.

Michael Mayer Fantasy Football Outlook

With the Raiders, Mayer will have an opportunity to take over the No. 1 tight end role in short order. The team traded Darren Waller to the New York Giants this offseason but added Austin Hooper to the mix. Hooper is on a one-year deal and is making just under $3 million in 2022, so he's not a threat to keep Mayer on the bench long-term.

Ultimately, Hooper hasn't been a highly-productive player at the position since leaving Matt Ryan and the Atlanta Falcons, but it often takes time for tight ends to develop, so the 21-year-old Mayer could start the season behind him. Either way, we should expect him to eventually supplant Hooper in his rookie campaign.

Expectations should be tempered for Mayer in 2023, but he is a solid round-two pick in dynasty rookie drafts. He may never be an elite advantage at the position like Travis Kelce or George Kittle thanks to his limited athletic profile, but he projects as a volume possession tight end – similar to Jason Witten. Mayer arguably has the highest floor among all tight ends in this rookie class and it'd be surprising if he's a complete bust after posting impressive numbers at Notre Dame as a young player.

Mayer is being selected around the TE23 slot via Underdog Best Ball ADP for 2023, which is appropriate considering all the tight ends in that range are dart throws for potential upside. A TE1 campaign isn't likely this season, but he could be a fixture as a low-t0-mid fantasy TE1 heading into his second season and beyond.

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