Eli Raridon · Mason Taylor · 2026 week 5

Eli Raridon or Mason Taylor?

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

Start Mason Taylor — barelyThis one is a coin flip — the projections are within 0.6 points. The matchup leans Mason Taylor (CLE allow the 10th-most TE points), but you can defend either call.

Player	Wk 5	Proj (PPR)	Matchup	Form L3	Trade value	Status
Eli Raridon	vs LV	3.3	5th · soft	4.5	–	healthy
Mason Taylor START	vs CLE	3.9	10th	1.8	–	healthy

TEs vs LV recently: Oronde Gadsden 7.8 pts (W2) · Juwan Johnson 15.3 pts (W3) · Noah Gray 1.7 pts (W4).

TEs vs CLE recently: Cade Otton 3.8 pts (W2) · Darren Waller 5.1 pts (W3) · Darnell Washington 8.7 pts (W4).

🎓 The coach's read

Projections are 0.6 apart — too close to call on projection alone.
Mason Taylor has the higher floor (0.9) — the safer start if you are favoured.
Mason Taylor has the higher ceiling (8.7) — the play if you need points.
Eli Raridon faces LV, 5th most generous to TEs.
Mason Taylor faces CLE, 10th most generous to TEs.

Who wins a straight-up trade?

Their trade values are effectively even — a one-for-one is a fair swap on the numbers.

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

More TE decisions

Eli Raridon or Foster Moreau?Eli Raridon or Dawson Knox?Mason Taylor or Austin Hooper?Mason Taylor or Foster Moreau?Mason Taylor or Dawson Knox?

All numbers are the 2026 season, refreshed nightly.