Start Michael Mayer or Chig Okonkwo? Week 5

Our Week 5 call

Start Michael Mayer over Chig Okonkwo in Week 5.

Market-based projections have Michael Mayer at 7.8 points and Chig Okonkwo at 7.2, a gap of 0.7. 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 7.2 fantasy points for Chig Okonkwo, with 100 percent of the markets a TE needs posted.

The market gives Chig Okonkwo a 24% chance to score a touchdown (14 market sources).

That puts Michael Mayer 0.7 points ahead of Chig Okonkwo on the market projections.

Injury status

Michael Mayer is not on the injury report.

Chig Okonkwo is listed as questionable with a hamstring injury.

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, Chig Okonkwo played 57 percent of WAS snaps, drew 11 percent of the targets, earned 8 percent of the air yards and had 0 percent of the red zone chances.

Chig Okonkwo, Week 1 against PHI: 39 of 70 snaps, 3 targets and 2 catches for 16 yards.

Chig Okonkwo, Week 4 against IND: 37 of 64 snaps, 4 targets and 2 catches for 5 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, Chig Okonkwo played 17 games for TEN and scored 124.0 PPR points, 7.3 a game, finishing TE21.

He caught 56 of 79 targets for 560 yards and 2 touchdowns, with 5 red zone targets and 218 air yards.

He was on the field for 62 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Chig Okonkwo, Week 18 of 2025 against JAX: 5 targets and 2 catches for 2 yards, 2.2 PPR points.

Their other Week 5 calls

• Start Michael Mayer over AJ Barner.
• Start Brenton Strange over Michael Mayer.
• Start Michael Mayer over Cade Otton.
• Start Chig Okonkwo over AJ Barner.
• Start Cade Otton over Chig Okonkwo.
• Start Chig Okonkwo over Darnell Washington.