Isaiah Likely Fantasy Football Breakout Season Activating?
Ian Hartitz uncovers how New York Giants TE Isaiah Likely could be one of the breakout stars for fantasy football 2026.
All anyone would have to do is look at Isaiah Likely and to see that he's pretty much made in a tight end factory. Measuring 6-foot-4 and 245 pounds, he's had everything but opportunity to be the TE1 in Baltimore. Now one of the newest New York Giants, playing for his former coach, Likely has a chance to be one of the top receiving options on a rising offense. Ian Hartitz breaks it down as part of his New York Giants Team Preview.
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Is Isaiah Likely the projected No. 2 pass-game option in New York?
- TE1: Isaiah Likely (TE14 in Fantasy Life ranks)
- TE2: Theo Johnson
- TE3: Chris Manhertz
The glass-half-full and glass-half-empty cases for Likely ahead of 2026:
- Bull case: John Harbaugh unleashes his longtime No. 2 TE as THE clear-cut No. 2 pass-game option of a wide-open passing game that isn't even guaranteed to have No. 1 WR Malik Nabers during the early portions of the season.
- Bear case: More natural inline options Theo Johnson and Chris Manhertz prevent Likely from securing a true full-time role, and Jaxson Dart doesn't take a step forward in an offense that winds up running the ball at a near league-high rate.
Ultimately, aside from Dalton Kincaid, Likely is my favorite late-round tight end bet of 2026. A broken foot in August sabotaged his 2025 campaign, but when healthy: Likely has the sort of YAC ability to make the most out of any low-aDOT/screen targets thrown his way, and his penchant for getting open during the scramble drill could mesh pretty damn great with Jaxson Dart.
Throw in the high-priced contract (one of only six tight ends making $40M+!) and utter lack of target competition at TE and WR alike, and I have Likely ranked ahead of older, more expensive, and lamer options like Travis Kelce, Jake Ferguson and even his mentor Mark Andrews.
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