Darnell Washington or Michael Mayer?

Who to start in Week 1, who is better for the rest of the season, and who carries more trade value — from the FantasyPros expert consensus and the LeagueLogs Market Index.

Week 1 · 2026 season · Consensus updated September 3 at 1:20 PM EDT

Connect your league and an AI analyst settles debates like this one against your actual roster.

The lean

  • This week: Michael Mayer
  • Rest of season: even on the consensus34 of 59 experts
  • Trade value: close to even

The horizons disagree, which is exactly when your roster context decides it.

Darnell WashingtonMichael Mayer
Rest of season
34 of 59 experts rank Darnell Washington ahead · 25 rank Michael Mayer ahead
TE38#26–#48TE38#29–#48
Week 1TE36#30–#51TE35#32–#46edge
Week 1 projection (PPR)4.44.5
Market Index value (redraft PPR)3 #343 overall2 #351 overall
Rostered3%2%
Bye913
StatusNo injury designationNo injury designation

Expert consensus and ownership data via FantasyPros · Market Index values by LeagueLogs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who should I start in Week 1, Darnell Washington or Michael Mayer?
Michael Mayer. This week's consensus has Darnell Washington at TE36 (range #30–#51) and Michael Mayer at TE35 (range #32–#46). Projections: 4.4 vs 4.5 PPR points.
Who is better for the rest of the season, Darnell Washington or Michael Mayer?
The experts have them effectively even for the rest of the season: Darnell Washington TE38 (range #26–#48) vs Michael Mayer TE38 (range #29–#48). 34 of 59 FantasyPros experts who rank both have Darnell Washington ahead for the rest of the season.
Should I trade Darnell Washington for Michael Mayer?
On the LeagueLogs Market Index (redraft PPR) Darnell Washington is ranked #343 overall and Michael Mayer #351, so a one-for-one is close to even. Run the exact deal through the free AI Trade Analyzer for a verdict on your league's scoring.