Michael Mayer vs Tyler Warren: Who Should You Start?
Michael Mayer and Tyler Warren are both viable fantasy tight ends heading into 2026, but their 2025 production tells two different stories. Michael Mayer averaged 4.3 PPG across 13 games with the Las Vegas Raiders, while Tyler Warren posted 8.9 PPG in 17 appearances for the Indianapolis Colts.
A 4.6-PPG gap gives Tyler Warren 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.
Tyler Warren is the volume tight end in this matchup with 76 receptions for 817 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 Tyler Warren, but the floor gap is real.
Michael Mayer has his bye in Week 10, and Tyler Warren rests in Week 14. Managers rostering both need waiver wire depth at tight end for those two weeks, and that is exactly the kind of planning DraftCall's matchup engine surfaces automatically so you are not scrambling on a Sunday morning.
