Chig Okonkwo · Michael Mayer · 2026 week 8

Chig Okonkwo or Michael Mayer?

Wondering who you should start this week — Chig Okonkwo or Michael Mayer? The start/sit call and the numbers behind it are below, plus who wins a straight-up trade. Rebuilt nightly.

Start Chig Okonkwo — barelyThis one is a coin flip — the projections are within 0.3 points. The matchup leans Chig Okonkwo (PHI allow the 25th-most TE points), but you can defend either call.

Player	Wk 8	Proj (PPR)	Matchup	Form L3	Trade value	Status
Chig Okonkwo START	vs PHI	7.8	25th · tough	8.8	319	healthy
Michael Mayer	@ NYJ	7.5	27th · tough	8	80	healthy

TEs vs PHI recently: Brenton Strange 6.8 pts (W5) · Tommy Tremble 16.6 pts (W6) · Brevyn Spann-Ford 1.1 pts (W7).

TEs vs NYJ recently: Harold Fannin Jr. 0.4 pts (W5) · Hunter Henry 10.8 pts (W6) · Greg Dulcich 8.6 pts (W7).

🎓 The coach's read

Projections are 0.3 apart — too close to call on projection alone.
Chig Okonkwo has the higher floor (2.7) — the safer start if you are favoured.
Michael Mayer has the higher ceiling (15.1) — the play if you need points.
Chig Okonkwo is steady — about 16% less volatile week to week than a typical TE projected here — higher floor, lower ceiling.
Chig Okonkwo faces PHI, 25th most generous to TEs.
Michael Mayer faces NYJ, 27th most generous to TEs.

Who wins a straight-up trade?

Chig Okonkwo carries the higher trade value — 319 against 80 (a 75% gap). In a one-for-one, the side receiving Chig Okonkwo gets the most. Momentum: Chig Okonkwo +292 and Michael Mayer +88 over the last 30 days.

Open in Start/Sit (any scoring) Open in the Trade Analyzer

More TE decisions

Chig Okonkwo or T.J. Hockenson?Chig Okonkwo or Brenton Strange?Chig Okonkwo or Hunter Henry?Michael Mayer or Mark Andrews?Michael Mayer or Tyler Higbee?Michael Mayer or Jake Ferguson?

All numbers are the 2026 season, refreshed nightly.