Cade Otton vs Michael Mayer: Who Should You Start?
Cade Otton and Michael Mayer are both viable fantasy tight ends heading into 2026, but their 2025 production tells two different stories. Cade Otton averaged 5.8 PPG across 16 games with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, while Michael Mayer posted 4.3 PPG in 13 appearances for the Las Vegas Raiders.
A 1.5-PPG gap gives Cade Otton the edge on paper, but paper does not account for Thursday night matchups, weather games, or a star defender returning from injury. The real question is not who was better in 2025, but who is the better start this specific week.
Cade Otton is the volume tight end in this matchup with 59 receptions for 572 yards, while Michael Mayer profiles as a more touchdown-dependent spike play (1 scores on 35 catches). In weeks where Michael Mayer finds the end zone he out-scores Cade Otton, but the floor gap is real.
One scheduling note: Cade Otton is off Week 11 and Michael Mayer Week 10. If these two are on your roster, you will need a fill-in tight end for both weeks. DraftCall flags bye conflicts so you can plan ahead rather than panic on waivers.
