Likely ‘limping at times’ in Week 7

It was his first game with fewer than five targets all season. New York’s passing game simply targeted Houston outside the numbers and they ran the ball effectively enough that they didn’t need to feed Likely. He’ll be on the TE1 line in Week 9 against the Eagles once the Giants return from their bye week.

According to Hughes, “this is the player they targeted and wanted” as their quarterback the minute Jaxson Dart (knee) got hurt. Hughes acknowledges that coach John Harbaugh could eventually bench McCarthy later in the year, but it will take more than a bad “game or two” for that to happen. In the meantime, the weekly fantasy football outlooks for Malik Nabers and Isaiah Likely are more volatile than they were with Jameis Winston at the helm. Selling high could make sense. Hughes adds that McCarthy would have to play like a top-10 quarterback to make the coaching staff consider him for the starting role next season. That outcome seems highly unlikely.

Likely scored his fifth touchdown of the season and third over the last two games. He also caught a two point conversion, with all his scoring coming in the fourth quarter from J.J. McCarthy. The pass-heavy game script helped Likely salvage his fantasy day late in the game as he saw double-digit targets for the third straight game and fourth time this season. Now averaging 9.8 targets per game, Likely is squarely in the fantasy TE1 ranks heading into a tough Week 7 matchup against the Texans.

Theo Johnson has a neck injury and was limited in practice. Both tight ends should be able to suit up on Sunday. Coming off a career-high in targets (13), Likely is looking more like a top-five fantasy tight end every week. He should be in every fantasy lineup for his Week 6 date with the Saints.

Likely set a new career-high with 11 receptions in this one, and came up with two clutch touchdowns in the process. His first score came on a three-yard strike from Jameis Winston on a third-and-goal play that the Giants needed to stay in the game, cutting the Commanders’ lead to 19-13. Then, in the fourth quarter and with the Giants facing a fourth-and-eight, Likely turned an eight-yard reception upfield for a 17-yard touchdown that nearly looked like a fumble and turnover at the goal-line. Likely has been targeted 25 times in his last two games and has now gone for 66 or more yards in three of five games to start the season. He’s starting to show good chemistry with Jameis Winston and will be on the TE1 radar in next week’s game against the Saints.

The Giants’ passing offense is tethered to Jameis Winston’s scattershot arm, but Likely has a favorable matchup against the Commanders’ defense this week. He can be started as a low-end TE1 in this divisional showdown.

Likely is on track to face the Commanders’ fantasy-friendly defense in Week 5. Ideally, we will see him upgrade to full participation tomorrow. The Giants’ starting tight end warrants TE1 treatment thanks to his workload and plus matchup.

Likely evidently got a little banged up while handling a second-high 12 targets last week. His early-week participation puts him on track to face the Commanders in Week 5, but new injuries are worth keeping an eye on. He is a TE1 if active this week.

Likely’s 12 targets were a new season high as fill-in QB Jameis Winston finally got a little something going through the air. That included two heinous interceptions, but we were beginning to wonder if Winston was ever going to complete another pass. That he did stabilizes Likely’s low-end TE1 value, though we have no doubt the giveaways will stick in the coaching staff’s mind. This is still an offense that is going to work to hide the quarterback and potentially start trade acquisition J.J. McCarthy at some point this fall. Those variables limit Likely’s upside even if the floor is now looking a little better heading into Week 5 against the Commanders.

Likely’s yardage total came back to Earth last week with just 33 despite seeing 10 targets. It fell further today, as did the target total. On the plus side, he finished second on the team in receiving opportunities and finished with a 23 percent target share. Likely remains the team’s de facto No. 2 receiver behind Malik Nabers. That simply wasn’t worth much in terms of fantasy points today. He remains a solid TE1 bet for Week 4 against the Cardinals.