The Giants earned a miraculous tie with the Commanders on Sunday, coming back in the fourth quarter from a 14-point deficit. Leading the charge all game for New York was Isaiah Likely, who scored two touchdowns against Washington. It’s already his second multi-score performance of the season. At this point, it’s safe to call the former Ravens pass catcher one of the NFL’s better tight ends.
Still, how much weight should fantasy managers give to Likely’s recent success? Can he continue to put up monster numbers in this New York offense? Let’s break down the tight end’s fantasy football viability heading into Week 6.
Isaiah Likely fantasy football outlook
It wasn’t just about reaching the end zone for Likely on Sunday. He also racked up a Giants-leading 11 catches on 13 targets, delivering an eye-popping 32.4 fantasy points. Through five weeks, he’s pacing Big Blue in receptions (33), targets (48) and touchdowns (four). None of this should come as a massive surprise. Going back to his days in Baltimore, Likely has always displayed talent. However, he was stuck playing behind a more established tight end in Mark Andrews. A move to New York, where the offensive hierarchy is less established, presented a clear increase in usage.
Likely’s numbers are even more impressive when considering the quality campaign Malik Nabers is putting together. Granted, the superstar wideout’s presence prevents anyone else from emerging as New York’s top option in the passing game. It’s clear that he displays strong chemistry with current starting quarterback Jameis Winston. With that being said, defenses are forced to give Nabers their full attention. As a result, there’s less competition for Likely over the middle of the field. In many ways, the tight end serves as an oversized slot receiver, operating underneath on crossing routes. For fantasy purposes, especially in PPR leagues, that’s an easy way to rack up points.
Speaking of Winston, the veteran gunslinger makes things even better for Likely. Starting QB Jaxson Dart (knee) is done for the season, lowering New York’s offensive ceiling. The dual threat’s terrific scrambling ability kept defenses on their toes, opening up this Giants running game. In Dart’s absence, the team has needed to change its approach. Winston, no matter what, is more than willing to air it out. He’s tied with Aaron Rodgers for the league’s tenth-most pass attempts (105) over the past three weeks.
Still, the big question is where Likely ranks in comparison to his tight end peers. As things stand, the 26-year-old is currently the league’s TE2; only Trey McBride has been better so far. With that being said, it’s fair to wonder if Brock Bowers is in the mix for that top spot. Las Vegas’ All-Pro was forced to miss two games due to injury. After that, the position is wide open. Veterans such as George Kittle and Travis Kelce, along with youngsters in Tyler Warren and Sam LaPorta, are all capable of delivering impressive stat lines. Still, none of them have been featured as much as Likely so far. In addition, New York’s situation is perfect. The offense remains respectable and somewhat pass-heavy under Winston, but the Giants aren’t likely (no pun intended) to blow anyone out. To boot, Nabers has been the only consistent competition for targets this season. Add it all up, and a new superstar is emerging at tight end. Expect another solid showing in Week 6 against a suspect Saints secondary
