The Cincinnati Bengals re-signed tight end Mike Gesicki to a three-year deal worth $25.5 million on Saturday, a source tells NFL Network's Mike Garafolo. Gesicki will make $12 million in the first year of the deal and will return to Cincy as their top pass-catching tight end. The 29-year-old broke out in his first year with the Bengals in 2024 with 65 receptions for 665 yards in 17 games, although he only found the end zone twice. The Bengals also have Tanner Hudson that they just re-signed this week, too, but Gesicki should once again function as the team's primary pass-catching TE after he was the third leading receiver last year behind receivers Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Gesicki should at least be in consideration as a low-end TE1 in fantasy in 2025, and he'd see an even bigger boost if the Bengals end up trading Higgins this offseason.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler writes that the Cincinnati Bengals were happy with impending free-agent tight end Mike Gesicki last year and would like to re-sign him, even though they are also trying to keep all three star players in receivers Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and defensive end Trey Hendrickson on long-term deals. Teams are projecting that the tight end position could max out at $8 million per year on the free-agent market this offseason. Gesicki ended up being Cincy's third leading receiver in 2024 behind Chase and Higgins, catching 65 of his 83 targets for 665 receiving yards, although he only was able to find the end zone twice in 17 games played. Although the Bengals also have Drew Sample and Erick All Jr. -- Tanner Hudson is also a free agent -- re-signing in Cincy would be the most ideal situation for Gesicki's fantasy value in 2025.
Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki had eight catches for 68 yards in Saturday's victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. The veteran hasn't been consistent during the 2024-25 campaign. Yet, after catching 10 passes for 86 yards in the overtime win over the Broncos, he had another potent showing in Week 18. Gesicki signed a one-year deal to join the Bengals during the offseason. It's likely the team will look to bring him back, considering he was starting to build rapport with quarterback Joe Burrow. Either way, Gesicki is worth monitoring in fantasy drafts heading into next season, although he may benefit the most from a statistical standpoint by remaining in Cincinnati.
Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki hasn't been the most reliable fantasy option throughout the 2024-25 campaign. To be fair, he's had some productive outings, although they have been few and far between. However, the 29-year-old is coming off a potent performance, catching 10 of his 12 targets for 86 yards in the Week 17 overtime win over the Denver Broncos. With the Bengals looking to secure a spot in the postseason, Gesicki could remain more involved than normal, especially if Tee Higgins (ankle, knee) and Chase Brown (ankle) don't suit up. Yet, if either of those guys play, Gesicki's ceiling will come crashing down heading into the Week 18 meeting with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki caught 10 passes for 86 yards in Saturday's win over Denver. With the Broncos defense paying close attention to Ja'Marr Chase, the veteran got more involved. Granted, he didn't play as well as Tee Higgins, who had three touchdowns. However, fantasy managers will take what they can get from Gesicki at this point. At any rate, the Bengals will meet the Steelers in Week 18. While Gesicki will likely see more attention from fantasy managers, he's certainly not a trustworthy fantasy option.
Mike Gesicki May Need To Be More Involved On Saturday
Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki had only two catches for 14 yards in the Week 16 win over the Browns. That type of production has been the norm for the 29-year-old for most of the 2024-25 campaign. However, Tee Higgins (ankle, knee) is questionable for Saturday's game against the Broncos, meaning Gesicki and others may need to step up. Considering Gesicki has 26 catches for 312 yards and two touchdowns in five games without Higgins this season, he's worth considering in deeper fantasy setups in Week 17. But Higgins will need to be ruled out first.
Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki had two catches for 14 yards in Sunday's win over the Browns. The veteran had another underwhelming showing in Week 16. However, that's not surprising with Joe Burrow primarily focused on feeding Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Chase Brown. With that in mind, Gesicki should continue to have a tough time getting involved moving ahead, keeping him off the radar for fantasy managers when the Bengals play the Broncos in Week 17.
Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki had three catches for 37 yards in the Week 15 win over the Titans. Unfortunately, that type of showing has been the norm for the 29-year-old nearly all season. Granted, he has had a few potent fantasy showings. However, with 45 catches for 497 yards during the 2024-25 campaign, Gesicki can't be trusted from a fantasy standpoint, although managers in need can plug him in and hope for the best against a Browns defense that has struggled against opposing tight ends all year.
Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki had three catches for 37 yards in Sunday's win over the Titans. The 29-year-old had three receptions for 24 yards in the Monday night victory over the Dallas Cowboys. While he played better in this one, it still wasn't good enough, especially for those in the hunt for a fantasy football championship. With his last trip to the end zone last occurring against the Raiders in early November, Gesicki will be tough to trust in the Week 16 AFC North clash with the Browns.
Cincinnati Bengals tight end Mike Gesicki should be viewed as a risky tight end and should only be deployed in deeper 14+ team formats this weekend, facing the Tennessee Titans. After enjoying a solid start to the campaign, the veteran has taken a step back over the past few weeks. Over his past four games, he has averaged just 5.7 PPR points per game with 3.0 receptions per contest. However, he still sees a solid 4.8 targets per game, suggesting brighter days may be ahead. Since scoring 27.0 PPR points during Week 9, Gesicki has only eclipsed double-digit PPR points on one occasion. Facing the Titans, who have allowed the ninth-fewest PPR points to opposing tight ends, fantasy managers should only view him as a desperation play on Sunday, given his lack of stable production this season.
Mike Gesicki
• TE
•
Bengals
