The Baltimore Ravens hope to do one better than the AFC Championship Game elimination they managed in 2024-25.
Their quest towards the Lombardi Trophy hit its first snag when tight end Isaiah Likely rolled his ankle at the end of Tuesday’s practice and got carted off before limping back to the facility. According to Ravens head coach John Harbaugh, Likely will miss the next few weeks while he recovers, and the team will have a better understanding of the injury’s severity after an MRI tomorrow.
We’ll provide updates here as we get more from the ground at Baltimore’s training camp today & this weekend.
Potential injury impact
If Likely misses any time during the regular season, it might have an impact on the team’s offense. Over his first three seasons, Likely has contributed 108 catches for 1,261 yards, and 14 scores, and he’s coming off of his most successful campaign. The six-foot-four 25-year-old was projected to play a larger role in the offense this season, and he and the team are reportedly closing in on an extension.
He is the junior partner in a tight end tandem with veteran Mark Andrews, who grabbed 11 touchdown passes last season and finished 19th in Comeback Player of the Year voting. But that’s not to sell Likely short; he ranked seventh among 74 qualified tight ends by Pro Football Focus’ grading system in 2024. Among Ravens with 20 or more catches last season, Likely ranked second in success rate and third in catch percentage.
Likely’s injury could impact a few players’ fantasy value in the first few weeks of the season, because even if he doesn’t miss any games, Harbaugh might want to ease him back in after a protracted training camp. The most obvious beneficiary would be Andrews, who amassed 79 targets to Likely’s 67 last season, but wide receivers Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman could receive a few more targets as well. Baltimore’s first three opponents — the Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, and Detroit Lions — were all above-average against tight ends last season.
