Michael Mayer - Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Fantasy Football Picks for Week 1 (2026)

September 10, 2026

Michael Mayer start 'em, sit 'em fantasy football picks for Week 1 of 2026. Should you start or sit Michael Mayer for fantasy football lineups in Week 1?

BALLER MOVE: Start in 12-team leagues

POSITIONAL VALUE: low-end TE1

ANALYSIS: The Las Vegas Raiders start their new season with a new coach and a new quarterback with a fantasy-friendly home matchup against the Dolphins. The team will be without a key piece of its offense, though, after TE Brock Bowers underwent a meniscus trim and is expected to miss at least Week 1 and possibly another game or two.

The situation is still uncertain, but if he stays off IR, he'll likely be back before Week 4. The latest update indicates Bowers will miss this week and likely at least one more.

Brock Bowers Likely Out For Week 2 As Well https://t.co/vB06wAzdbo

— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) September 10, 2026

Without Bowers, the Raiders' pass-catching group is even thinner. The team doesn't have many proven options at receiver, with Tre Tucker joined by free agent addition Jalen Nailor and second-year receiver Jack Bech as the team's starters in three-receiver sets. Bowers was expected to be the most targeted pass-catcher in Kirk Cousins' debut on Sunday, but without him, there's a huge void to fill

Michael Mayer will step in and take Bowers' spot in the lineup and will likely get as much work as he can handle. Last year, Mayer played four games without Bowers available, and the second-rounder from Notre Dame racked up 18 catches on 24 targets in those four games for a total of 196 receiving yards and a touchdown. He averaged double-digit fantasy points in PPR scoring in those four games.

Mayer showed his upside late in the year in Week 17 against the Giants, when he hauled in nine of 10 targets for 89 yards.

This year, Cousins replaces the QB tandem of Geno Smith and Kenny Pickett, who played that game against the Giants, so Mayer gets a QB upgrade. The offense overall should also be better under new coach Klint Kubiak, who is replacing Pete Carroll. In the new offense, Mayer could get plenty of looks from Cousins, who has made his tight ends successful fantasy contributors in the past.

In Week 1, Mayer should be especially effective since he's facing the Dolphins. Last year, Miami gave up the third-most fantasy points per game to tight ends, and with the Dolphins' offensive struggles, the Raiders should have plenty of time of possession to get Mayer high volume.

In RotoBaller's rankings, Mayer is the No. 12 TE for Week 1, making him a fringe starter in all formats. If you didn't get a tight end until late in your draft or are looking for a replacement for Bowers, he's likely the best option available on most leagues' waiver wires. If you need some help at the position, Mayer is in a great spot to make an impact for as long as Bowers is out.

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Who Should I Start? Who Should I Sit? Some common Week 1 fantasy football lineup decisions are regarding players like Michael Mayer. But not to worry, we are here to help make these decisions and build winning lineups in Week 1. Set your optimal fantasy football lineups for Week 1 of the 2026 NFL season. Our free Who Should I Start? tool will help make your fantasy football lineup decisions. Compare up to four NFL players, and we tell you who to start... all free! Get your winning lineups set, and make the right decisions.

Week 1 Player Decisions. Today's focus is on specific players - Michael Mayer. These are some of the most common searches for fantasy football lineups in Week 1.

Using The Tool. This is a simple tool but very powerful. The first step is to enter the player names that you want to compare. In the first box, search for the first player's name. In the second box, search for the second player's name. Compare up to four NFL players at once, and then click the Who To Start? button to see who the recommended starts are based on weekly fantasy football matchups.

Improvements For Who Should I Start? You may have noticed, our Who Should I Start? tool has gotten an overhaul. We've added lots of great features for you to give you as much information as possible to win your fantasy football matchups each week. You'll see NFL player tiles with headshots and bye weeks, enhanced search results with data to compare, and a slick new interface. We hope you enjoy!

How It Works. Each week, our RotoBaller staff puts together their weekly fantasy football rankings and projections based on their research. That information is the core data that is powering the decision-making in this tool. When you search for player names, you will only see those players who are ranked. If someone is out for the week, they will not appear in the search results.

Scoring Formats. Fantasy football managers play in various types of leagues, and this tool allows you to choose whether it's PPR scoring, Half-PPR scoring, or Standard (Non-PPR) scoring. The second thing you want to do is to select the scoring format. There are three small radio buttons (small circles), so click on the scoring format you prefer. The results may vary based on the scoring format you select.

Popular Week 1 Searches. Curious to see some tough lineup decisions for Week 1 (2026)? Below you will find a list of some popular Who Should I Start? searches that RotoBaller readers are looking at this week. Click any of the links to see the result and recommendation.

Popular Week 1 Searches - Start/Sit Player Comparisons

Below are some popular Week 1 searches and comparisons from our 'Who To Start' tool for Michael Mayer, Parker Washington, Tony Pollard, Christian Watson, Josh Downs compared to others: