Start Mike Gesicki or Michael Mayer? Week 5

Our Week 5 call

Start Mike Gesicki over Michael Mayer in Week 5.

Market-based projections have Mike Gesicki at 8.4 points and Michael Mayer at 7.8, a gap of 0.6. 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 8.4 fantasy points for Mike Gesicki, with 100 percent of the markets a TE needs posted.

The market has Mike Gesicki at 30.5 receiving yards and 3.5 receptions, with a 26% chance to score a touchdown (9, 8 and 15 market sources).

Player markets imply 7.8 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 (17, 13 and 15 market sources).

That puts Mike Gesicki 0.6 points ahead of Michael Mayer on the market projections.

Injury status

Mike Gesicki is not on the injury report.

Michael Mayer is not on the injury report.

Usage before Week 5

Through Week 4, Mike Gesicki played 46 percent of CIN snaps, drew 10 percent of the targets, earned 14 percent of the air yards and had 10 percent of the red zone chances.

Mike Gesicki, Week 1 against TB: 21 of 64 snaps, 7 targets and 5 catches for 78 yards, 1 touchdown.

Mike Gesicki, Week 2 against HOU: 21 of 60 snaps, 0 targets and 0 catches for 0 yards.

Mike Gesicki, Week 3 against PIT: 29 of 57 snaps, 3 targets and 3 catches for 37 yards, 1 touchdown.

Mike Gesicki, Week 4 against JAX: 47 of 76 snaps, 5 targets and 3 catches for 40 yards, 1 touchdown.

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.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, Mike Gesicki played 13 games for CIN and scored 70.7 PPR points, 5.4 a game, finishing TE41.

He caught 28 of 42 targets for 307 yards and 2 touchdowns, with 7 red zone targets and 244 air yards.

He was on the field for 38 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

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.

Their other Week 5 calls

• Start Mike Gesicki over AJ Barner.
• Start Brenton Strange over Mike Gesicki.
• Start Mike Gesicki over Chig Okonkwo.
• Start Michael Mayer over AJ Barner.
• Start Brenton Strange over Michael Mayer.
• Start Michael Mayer over Cade Otton.