MikeGesicki

News: 12 hours agoGesicki caught five passes on seven targets for 78 yards and a touchdown during the Bengals' 33-27 win over the Buccaneers on Sunday.

Spin: Even with the lethal one-two punch of Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, it was Gesicki who led the Bengals in catches, targets and receiving yards during Sunday's win, which included a two-yard touchdown pass from Joe Burrow late in the first quarter. Gesicki was also Burrow's go-to target late in the second quarter, with the duo connecting on passes of 16, 11 and 20 yards to help set up a 20-yard field goal from Evan McPherson. Chase, Higgins and running back Chase Brown are still the main playmakers on offense for the Bengals, but Gesicki is more than capable of having games like Sunday. The Bengals will look to start the 2026 season with a 2-0 record next Sunday on the road against the Texans, whose defense gave up 36 points to the Bills and allowed tight end Dalton Kincaid to turn six targets into five catches for 130 yards in Week 1.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: There was an era when Gesicki was a viable starting option in fantasy, but that time has come and gone. Since posting back-to-back top-eight fantasy campaigns in 2020 and 2021, Gesicki has finished 23rd, 37th, 13th and 41st the past four seasons. The latter came during a 2025 campaign in which he was limited to 41 targets in 13 games. Gesicki is no more than a situational seam stretcher and not much of an option near the goal line (he has exactly two TDs and five end zone targets each of the past three seasons). The 30-year-old will be a risky streaming option even if Ja'Marr Chase or Tee Higgins misses time.