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Likely projects as solid TE1 with Giants; late-round dart after foot injury recovery.
Likely's 2025 season was crushed by a foot injury sustained in the preseason, and Derek Brown can't honestly tell if he was fully healthy last season. Brown tosses the 2025 campaign in the trash and rewinds to 2024, when among 57 qualifying tight ends, Likely ranked 17th in target per route run rate, tenth in yards per route run, and eighth in first downs per route run and fantasy points per route run. After signing a lucrative deal with the Giants this offseason, Likely should be their clear starting tight end and a strong part of their passing game, with only Darnell Mooney, Darius Slayton, Calvin Austin, and Malachi Fields to contend with for targets behind Malik Nabers. Brown projects Likely could easily be a solid TE1 this season and is worth a late-round dart in a ton of drafts in 2026.
Likely quickly built rapport with Dart; emerging as key receiving option.
Isaiah Likely has quickly forged a connection with quarterback Jaxson Dart during Giants training camp, positioning him as a key receiving option in the offense alongside other performers like Calvin Austin III and Malachi Fields.
Likely forging connection with Dart; emerging Giants receiving option.
Jaxson Dart has quickly forged a connection with Isaiah Likely, positioning the tight end as a receiving option in the Giants' offense during Nabers' recovery period.
Isaiah Likely ranked TE13 with 15-spot expert consensus discount.
Isaiah Likely ranked TE13 with ADP 94, consensus rank 163, and expert consensus score 120.5; positioned 15 spots below consensus rank in expert rankings, indicating expert caution relative to market expectations.
Likely available in double-digit rounds as TE insurance pairing with Kittle.
Isaiah Likely is mentioned as a double-digit round pairing option with George Kittle to provide insurance against a slow start from Kittle while accessing his top-five upside.
Likely (ADP 104, rank 108) has TE1 upside on a thin receiver corps.
ADP 104, source rank 108; the source lists Likely as a good upside play that won't cost much; he was more bullish when Likely's ADP was a round later but still likes the opportunity for him to finally deliver as a TE1 on a team with dusty receivers after Malik Nabers, whose health is uncertain.
Round 10 tight end option in 101 draft position strategy
Isaiah Likely is positioned as a round 10 tight end option in the 101 draft position strategy, described as a boring but available target at that stage alongside Jake Ferguson and Jawan Johnson.
Likely's No. 2 receiver role and late-round ADP offer breakout upside with minimal downside risk.
Likely, 26, has followed head coach John Harbaugh from Baltimore to New York, where he will be a featured part of the Giants' passing attack and identified as the de facto No. 2 receiver behind Malik Nabers (who has recovered from a torn ACL and is on track for Week 1). Jaxson Dart's ability to make plays off-script meshes with Likely's strengths; Likely will serve as a red-zone weapon and downfield threat while fighting for YAC. The source emphasizes there is almost no risk associated with selecting Likely given his late-round ADP.
Strong value who could lead team in targets early
Isaiah Likely is highlighted as a strong tight end value who could serve as a team's leading target until Malik Nabers returns to full health.
Likely drafted 125.1 ADP vs. ESPN rank 117; slight expert discount.
Isaiah Likely is ESPN-ranked 117 but has an ADP of 125.1, indicating he is drafted later than ESPN's default ranking; the -8.1 delta shows expert consensus values him slightly lower than ESPN across platforms (FDN 125.1, AvgFantrax 127.4, Drafters 123.7, NFFC 126.1).
Likely expected to see significant role increase with Giants and Dart.
Likely saw limited volume in Baltimore but is expected to see a significant increase in his role now that he is with the Giants and Jaxson Dart is under center, who targets tight ends heavily.
Likely climbs 16 spots to TE12; positive ADP momentum.
Likely is ranked TE12 with an ADP of 132, showing a 16-spot rise from his previous ranking, reflecting improved market perception and draft positioning.
Isaiah Likely's TE12 rank backed by +16 ADP surge shows rising draft demand.
Isaiah Likely ranked TE12 with +16 recent ADP movement, suggesting rising draft interest; positioned at 116 overall with +6 week-over-week shift.
Likely surged 16 spots to TE12 ADP 132, major riser.
Isaiah Likely ranked TE12 overall with ADP of 132; significant 16-spot rise from previous ranking, indicating substantial market revaluation upward.
Likely rebounds 16 spots to No. 116 after prior tight end sell-off.
Likely rebounds with a 16-spot rise to No. 116 after leading the tight end sell-off the previous week, suggesting renewed confidence in his fantasy outlook.
Draft Isaiah Likely ahead of Joe Burrow in expert formats.
The source suggests that Isaiah Likely is a better draft value than Joe Burrow in current expert mock draft environments.
Likely high-upside late-round TE stash if premium options missed.
If you miss out on the primary TE options (Kraft, Fanin, Pitts), the source recommends punting on the position and filling up on RBs and WRs, then taking a high-upside TE like Isaiah Likely in the later rounds.
Likely was a key downfield target for Dart in the joint practice.
Likely was one of the primary downfield targets for Jaxson Dart during the joint practice, catching several completions on play-action throws. Harbaugh highlighted these downfield connections as 'good chunk plays' that work off the run game.
Best late-round TE option but lacks confidence in Likely's upside.
Ian Hartitz identifies Isaiah Likely as the best late-round tight end bet but expresses low confidence in his ability to deliver the numbers needed; this concern leads Hartitz to prioritize securing Colston Loveland in round four rather than waiting for late-round tight end lottery tickets. Hartitz later reiterates Likely as his preferred late-round tight end target, but the overall tone reflects skepticism about his ceiling.
Likely a low-end TE1 at best; run-heavy Giants limit upside vs. Kincaid.
Hayden Winks rates Isaiah Likely as a good, not great player. The Giants will be among the most run-heavy teams with lots of FB/TE2 involved, and Likely won't be out there to block. Likely is basically a part-time slot receiver out there for 75-80% of routes, which is enough to be a low-end TE1 but Winks would fade anything higher than that. Winks prefers Bills TE Dalton Kincaid in a very similar role, noting Kincaid is a better receiver on a better offense.
Likely ranked TE12 with ADP 84, 14 spots above consensus.
Isaiah Likely ranked TE12 in FantasyPros draft rankings with ADP of 84, projected to score 242 points with 117.3 PPR average and 26.3 points per game; ADP is 14 spots above consensus ranking.
High-upside breakout candidate and potential PPR cheat code
Scott Barrett highlights Isaiah Likely as a high-upside, potential PPR cheat code and breakout candidate. Beat writers report he is the focal point of the offense and Jackson Dart's favorite target. Likely averaged 16.2 fantasy points per game over his last nine full games with a healthy Mark Andrews. Barrett compares his trajectory to Martellus Bennett, who broke out after being stuck behind veteran starters like Greg Olsen, Mark Andrews, and Charlie Kolar.
Lane's emergence adds uncertainty to Likely's role in Ravens passing game.
Likely's role in Baltimore's passing game remains uncertain as the Ravens explore other receiving options; the emergence of Ja'Kobi Lane as a potential WR2 adds competition to the receiving hierarchy beyond the traditional Mark Andrews-Likely dynamic.
Likely offers tight end value in the 11th round versus earlier premium TE picks.
One of the source's favorite later-round options at tight end this season; selected in the 11th round, making him a strong value play compared to earlier TE selections like Dallas Goedert.
Likely's 11th-round selection offers better value than Goedert in round nine.
Selected in the 11th round by Hayden Winks, Likely represents one of the source's favorite later-round options at tight end for 2026; the source preferred Likely's later-round selection over Dallas Goedert's ninth-round pick, suggesting better value at the position.
Do not draft Likely as a lone tight end
Likely is a popular late-round target (rounds 9-10) due to his new contract and perceived role as a big slot receiver. However, the source is concerned that he is not a full-time player, noting he only played six of 16 snaps in the first preseason game. Because he is being pulled off the field for blocking situations, the source advises against drafting him as a lone tight end and recommends pairing him with another option.
Likely's career-high target volume unlocks in new Giants role as Dart's second read.
Likely was Big Blue's major free-agent signing, inking a three-year, $40 million deal to reunite with head coach John Harbaugh. All reports from practice note that Likely is currently the perpetual second-read for quarterback Jaxson Dart, behind receiver Malik Nabers. With an overwhelming number of targets vacated after Wan'Dale Robinson left, Likely is a lock to see the most looks in his career after playing the perpetual backup role behind Mark Andrews with the Ravens. The source notes this is an entirely different role and situation where past statistics make little sense for projection. Likely is a freak athlete and "move" tight end capable of feasting in the seam against smaller defensive backs and safeties, and should be a focal point in the red zone thanks to his huge catch radius.
Monitor usage; now ranked behind Dallas Goedert
Isaiah Likely is a potential target in rounds five through ten, though Scott Barrett is monitoring his usage due to multiple tight ends working with the first team and has moved Dallas Goedert ahead of him in his rankings.
Likely targeted in Giants red-zone drills during camp.
Likely is receiving targets from starting quarterback Jaxson Dart in red-zone drills, including a pass to the front pylon of the end zone.
Likely's goal-line target swatted by Reese in red zone drills.
Tight end Isaiah Likely was targeted on a pass at the goal line from Jaxson Dart in 7-on-7 drills during 11-on-11 red zone work, but the pass was swatted away by rookie linebacker Arvell Reese.