Isaiah Likely Receptions Pick for Giants vs. Rams

Isaiah Likely and the New York Giants will close down the Week 2 NFL slate with a Monday Night matchup against the Los Angeles Rams.

It was an impressive start to the season for New York, which picked up a 28-20 divisional victory over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1. Likely headlined the production with eight receptions for 78 yards and two touchdowns in his Giants debut. He will look to carry over this effort against a Rams team coming off a concerning Week 1 loss at the hands of the San Francisco 49ers.

Looking at the odds for the Week 2 Monday Night Football matchup, the Rams enter as 6.5-point favorites and hold -298 odds to win outright on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Giants hold +240 odds to produce the upset, with the game total set at 47.5 points.

You can check out the full top player prop bets and game preview here on DraftKings Network. For now, let’s take a look at my top Isaiah Likely prop bets for the Monday Night matchup.

Isaiah Likely Best Receptions Pick vs. Rams

Isaiah Likely Over 4.5 Receptions (+110)

After spending the first four years of his NFL career with the Baltimore Ravens, Isaiah Likely followed John Harbaugh to the New York Giants this offseason. He has been rewarded with a massive contract and a larger role, already capitalizing on the opportunity. Across his first four seasons in the league, Likely tallied 1,568 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns. This is all while never playing more than 60% of the offensive snaps in a season and playing 44% or fewer in two of the four years. Given a featured role, Likely responded by leading the Giants in receptions, receiving yards, and touchdowns in his New York debut. Jaxson Dart is still settling in to an extent at the NFL level, so the talented tight end will continue to operate as a key safety valve in the flow of offense.

This is especially the case with the Rams having some concerns in this matchup. Linebacker is the most vulnerable part of their defense. Expect a focused effort to put Likely in favorable positions and for him to deliver in the flow of the Giants’ attack. Malik Nabers is still dealing with some effects of his injury rehab, Odell Beckham Jr. has not been a consistent contributor in years, and Malachi Fields and Darnell Mooney are each still adjusting to the new system. There is a clear need for Likely in the flow of attack and he is showing the flashes he has put on display throughout his career are sustainable in a larger role.

While the eight receptions and two touchdowns he tallied in Week 1 may not be quite replicable, the rate at which he was involved in the attack was notable. We backed Likely to record over 3.5 receptions in the opener on DraftKings Network in Week 1, so I am going back to the well in Week 2. One of the biggest storylines in this Giants season is getting Jaxson Dart to protect himself from taking too many hits. The early signs of growth in this area were encouraging and having a tight end he can trust as a safety blanket is a major factor in this during the flow of play.

With the vulnerable Rams linebackers a factor and Likely’s role in the offense clear, expect an effort to put the ball in his hands again tonight. He moves like a wide receiver and the early chemistry with Dart is extremely encouraging. Count on the Giants leaning on Likely in plenty of short-yardage situations and allowing him to make things happen with the ball in his hands after the catch. The prop lines have not adjusted to his increased role on his new team just yet, so back the Giants tight end to record over 4.5 receptions for the second straight week.