Likely leading all first-team receivers in catches

The drumbeat continues to grow louder for Likely, who has been rumored multiple times throughout the offseason as the player the team was planning to feature. In June, The Athletic’s Dan Duggan said Likely was Jaxson Dart’s “favorite target” in practice, so this latest piece of news hardly comes as a surprise. According to Hughes, Likely has “displayed clear early chemistry with Dart” in training camp, and the 26-year-old tight end “appears to be the No. 2 option behind Nabers.” Currently going around the 10th round in fantasy drafts, Likely could emerge as a solid late-round option for fantasy managers who pass on the elite tight end options early in drafts.

With Malik Nabers and Darius Slayton both sidelined with injuries, it’s not a complete surprise to hear that Likely was the preferred target over recently signed vets like Odell Beckham Jr. and JuJu Smith-Schuster. That said, it’s an encouraging sign for Likely and his fantasy managers, who are hoping that his first season away from Mark Andrews can lead to a breakout in 2026. Likely had a down year in 2025, posting career lows in targets (36), receptions (27), yards (307), and touchdowns (1), while appearing in 14 games. The 26-year-old tight end has shown flashes throughout his career and has drawn praise throughout much of the offseason. He profiles as a fringe TE1/TE2 with a chance for immense upside in an offense that’s devoid of top talent at receiver after Nabers.

This is the third positive report in as many months for Likely, who is set to handle TE1 duties for his new team. Johnson is slated for the TE2 role after posting a 45/528/5 receiving line in his second NFL season last year. Giants WR1 Malik Nabers recently underwent a clean-up procedure on his knee and field-stretching WR Darius Slayton is recovering from core muscle surgery. Nabers will retake the No. 1 pass-catching role when healthy. Slayton, 29, is on the downslope. Likely is in the low-end TE1 tier and could improve his stock through the spring and summer.

The context isn’t entirely crystal clear from the article as the question wasn’t included, but it alludes to the idea that Likely is going to put up bigger numbers. Giants beat writers seem in lockstep on the idea that New York will use multiple tight ends often in 2026 — something that makes plenty of sense when you look at their wideout room — and especially if Malik Nabers is sidelined early in the year, it would make sense to see Likely have some big games. He’s clearly at least in the low-end TE1 tier, and we can see an argument for higher given how little we saw of him as a featured option behind Mark Andrews.

Likely followed former Ravens head coach John Harbaugh to New York in free agency, as expected, and signed a three year deal worth up to $47.5 million — a hefty deal considering Likely’s 2025 struggles in Baltimore. With the signing, the Giants “essentially swapped Likely in for Wan’Dale Robinson, signaling the shift in their offensive approach,” Duggan said (Robinson signed with the Titans). Likely will be “paired often” with TE Theo Johnson in a New York offense that should be among the league leaders in two tight end usage, just like Harbaugh’s Ravens, Duggan added. Likely, who should operate as a big slot receiver for Jaxson Dart, could have volume-based upside in 2026.

He can get up to $47.5 million with incentives. John Harbaugh gets his upside tight end for what looks poised to be a huge role in New York’s offense. Likely should be in the low-end TE1 ranks to start the year, with the upside to perhaps make a push for the middle. The soon-to-be 26-year-old played only 14 games last year for the Ravens, catching a career-low 27 balls while dealing with injury and playing behind a resurgent Mark Andrews.

The history between Likely and Giants head coach John Harbaugh makes this an easy one to connect. Harbaugh drafted Likely in the fourth-round of the 2022 NFL Draft and saw his selection quickly pay dividends. The soon-to-be free agent has caught 135 passes for 1,568 yards and 15 touchdowns in his four-year career and would make for a nice receiving threat for Jaxson Dart. Likely’s ability to play in the slot could also soften the blow of losing Wan’Dale Robinson, which seems likely as we approach the league’s legal tampering period. Likely should have a strong market in the coming days so it’s possible he shops around before landing with a new team.

Speaking to Jon Gruden on Gruden Goes Long, Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely said he wants to “be able to blossom” moving forward. He added that he would like to return to Baltimore, a place he considers “home,” but was upfront with the fact that “business is business” as he works his way through his first free agency of his career. “I just want to be on a team where I can get out there and help a quarterback, help a team be able to put as much points on the board as possible,” Likely concluded. We’ll need to see how the coming months play out, but it certainly appears as if Likely is preparing to find a new home on the open market for the 2027 season.

When the Ravens surprisingly re-upped Mark Andrews in-season, it seemed to point to the idea that Likely could leave in free agency. This report only accentuates that. Turning 26 in April, Likely would seem to be one of the few free agent tight ends (perhaps alongside Chig Okonkwo) with any real starter upside. Zrebiec believes “he should do quite well” in free agency.

Likely, an unrestricted free agent, could see interest from multiple teams this spring, including the Commanders, who are likely to move on from veteran TE Zach Ertz after his catastrophic knee injury in 2025. “Likely would bring more upside with his catch-and-run ability. A move player in the formation, Likely would also be schemed to create underneath one-on-ones,” Bowen said. In his four seasons with the Ravens, Likely popped off a few times in a run-heavy offense, usually when Mark Andrews was sidelined. Likely since the start of the 2024 season ranks fourth among all tight ends in ESPN’s open score, which measures a player’s ability to separate from defenders. He would be an intriguing fantasy option as an every-down player in Washington.