Start Michael Mayer or Cade Otton? Week 5

Our Week 5 call

Start Michael Mayer over Cade Otton in Week 5.

Market-based projections have Michael Mayer at 7.9 points and Cade Otton at 7.4, a gap of 0.5. That is inside the noise of a single catch, so treat it as close to a coin flip.

What the market projects

Player markets imply 7.9 fantasy points for Michael Mayer, with 100 percent of the markets a TE needs posted.

The market has Michael Mayer at 29.5 receiving yards and 3.5 receptions, with a 21% chance to score a touchdown (15, 12 and 15 market sources).

Player markets imply 7.4 fantasy points for Cade Otton, with 100 percent of the markets a TE needs posted.

The market has Cade Otton at 28.5 receiving yards and 3.5 receptions, with a 16% chance to score a touchdown (16, 15 and 16 market sources).

That puts Michael Mayer 0.5 points ahead of Cade Otton on the market projections.

Injury status

Michael Mayer is not on the injury report.

Cade Otton is not on the injury report.

Usage before Week 5

Through Week 4, Michael Mayer played 85 percent of LV snaps, drew 18 percent of the targets, earned 9 percent of the air yards and had 5 percent of the red zone chances.

Michael Mayer, Week 1 against MIA: 55 of 68 snaps, 7 targets and 6 catches for 32 yards.

Michael Mayer, Week 2 against LAC: 53 of 63 snaps, 4 targets and 3 catches for 23 yards.

Michael Mayer, Week 3 against NO: 61 of 70 snaps, 3 targets and 3 catches for 32 yards, 1 touchdown.

Michael Mayer, Week 4 against KC: 74 of 84 snaps, 10 targets and 8 catches for 82 yards.

Through Week 4, Cade Otton played 94 percent of TB snaps, drew 19 percent of the targets, earned 15 percent of the air yards and had 6 percent of the red zone chances.

Cade Otton, Week 1 against CIN: 56 of 57 snaps, 5 targets and 3 catches for 26 yards.

Cade Otton, Week 2 against CLE: 58 of 65 snaps, 6 targets and 5 catches for 38 yards.

Cade Otton, Week 3 against MIN: 65 of 69 snaps, 6 targets and 3 catches for 56 yards.

Cade Otton, Week 4 against GB: 60 of 64 snaps, 6 targets and 4 catches for 37 yards.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, Michael Mayer played 13 games for LV and scored 73.8 PPR points, 5.7 a game, finishing TE38.

He caught 35 of 50 targets for 328 yards and 1 touchdown, with 6 red zone targets and 132 air yards.

He was on the field for 57 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

In 2025, Cade Otton played 16 games for TB and scored 122.2 PPR points, 7.6 a game, finishing TE22.

He caught 59 of 81 targets for 572 yards and 1 touchdown, with 5 red zone targets and 261 air yards.

He was on the field for 93 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Their other Week 5 calls

• Start Michael Mayer over AJ Barner.
• Start Brenton Strange over Michael Mayer.
• Start Michael Mayer over Chig Okonkwo.
• Start Cade Otton over AJ Barner.
• Start Brenton Strange over Cade Otton.
• Start Brock Bowers over Cade Otton.