Isaiah Likely Working To Become "Chess Piece" On Offense
Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely said he's focused on learning all of the receiving positions in Year 2 of offensive coordinator Todd Monken's scheme. "It's being a chess piece, being anywhere 'Monk' needs me to be in this offense -; whether it's in the slot, in-line, in the backfield, split out wide by myself," Likely said. "The more you know, the more you can stay on the field." The Ravens already have All-Pro tight end Mark Andrews, but the team wants to get both Andrews and Likely on the field more at the same time in 2024. In eight games after Likely stepped in for the injured Andrews last year, he caught 25 passes for 372 yards and six touchdowns. With an expanded role in 2024, Likely could be a TE2 in fantasy, but his ceiling will remain limited as long as Andrews stays healthy.
Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely has been behind All-Pro veteran Mark Andrews to begin his NFL career, but his flashes of upside could lead the team to implement even more 12 personnel in 2024. According to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic, Likely has continued to impress this offseason. "Likely's work in OTAs and minicamp gave Monken even more reason to polish those multiple tight end sets," Zrebiec wrote. "From making highlight-reel one-handed catches in the middle of the field, to finding openings underneath, to pulling away from defenders after receptions, Likely looked like a player who will be hard to keep off the field." The Coastal Carolina product averaged 13.9 PPR fantasy points per game in six contests with Andrews sidelined last season. He has top-five upside if Andrews has to miss any time this year, and he might even have rare value from a backup tight end in fantasy football.
Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely split time with Mark Andrews after he was cleared to play his first game since Week 11. Andrews was on a snap count, however, so Likely still acted as the TE1 in this matchup. In the end, he only registered 16 yards while catching two of his three targets. Likely was playing some high-level football during the stretch that Andrews was sidelined. The 23-year-old still has two years remaining on his contract, as does Andrews, so if he continues to improve while splitting time with one of the best tight ends in the game, he'll probably take over once Andrews' contract is up. In the meantime, he'll remain a very late draft pick, if selected at all, in redraft leagues, but has a good bit of value in dynasty formats.
Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely stepped up in a huge way while Mark Andrews (ankle) missed around half of the season. Since Week 12, including the divisional game against the Houston Texans, Likely caught 23 out of 31 targets for 356 yards and six touchdowns. He's also been seeing over 11 yards per target and played 63% of snaps or greater in each game except the regular season finale. Andrews was recently declared active for this game, but he may be on a snap count, which means they'll still have to rely on Likely for a sizeable chunk of the tight end work. There's even the possibility of using Andrews as more of a decoy or red zone target while Likely sees the rest of the targets. Likely is a TE2 with TE1 upside depending on the game script.
Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely secured his first-ever postseason touchdown in the Divisional Round, finishing with two catches for 34 yards and a touchdown in the team's 34-10 victory over the Texans. With Mark Andrews (ankle) still sidelined, Likely took on the role of the team's primary tight end and continued to make significant plays in his absence. Andrews returned to practice this week, increasing the likelihood of his return for the AFC Championship game next week. The Ravens will host either the Bills or Chiefs, both ranking in the top 10 in DVOA against the pass. These teams have effectively defended tight ends throughout the season, and Likely's value would diminish in any format if Andrews makes his return.
Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely proved that he could be a big-time playmaker in the team's offense ever since Mark Andrews (ankle) went down with an ankle injury in Week 11. In that short span, Likely caught 21 of his 30 targets for 322 yards and five touchdowns. In comparison, he had just nine receptions for 89 yards on 10 targets in the 10 games prior. Add in the fact that the Texans rank as one of the worst teams against opposing tight ends and you would have a recipe for success. However, Andrews is listed as questionable for this contest, so if he plays, then Likely loses a lot of fantasy value. Fantasy managers will want to keep an eye on Andrews' status before deciding to play Likely or not.
Isaiah Likely Catches Fifth Touchdown Of The Season
Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely found the end zone once more during the first half of the 17-10 loss in Week 18. The young tight end continues to fill in admirably for the All-Pro Mark Andrews. He finished the season finale with two catches for 31 yards and a touchdown on two targets. Since taking over as the starter in Week 12, he's hauled in 21 of his 28 targets for 322 yards and five touchdowns. Not only has he proven to be a high-quality pass-catcher, but Likely has flashed some tremendous athletic ability, especially for the position. He and the Ravens will get some well-deserved rest with the bye in the first round of the playoffs.
Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely erupted in Sunday's 56-19 decimation of the Miami Dolphins, catching two of his three passes for 42 yards and two touchdowns. Likely's first score was an awesome one-handed catch on the run for 35 yards to close out a 28-point first half for the Ravens, and his second TD was of the shorter variety from seven yards out in the third quarter. The highly talented 23-year-old has been incredibly hit or miss in his career without Mark Andrews (ankle) in the lineup, but he's averaging 3.8 catches on 5.2 targets for 58.2 yards with four total scores over his prior five contests, with at least 40 yards in each game. Likely has looked like a diamond in the rough for the past two years, but he could be starting to polish into a more consistent contributor. If Andrews is unable to make a return during Baltimore's postseason, Likely should have a very important role to fill during their run.
Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely has played a huge role in the offense ever since Mark Andrews (ankle) went down in Week 11. During that time, Likely ranks fifth among tight ends in routes run per team dropback with 80.5% and he's in the top ten for receiving yards with 249. On top of that, there are only four other tight ends with more touchdowns than him in the same span. The Miami Dolphins are right in the middle of the pack against opposing tight ends and allow 11.5 fantasy points per game in PPR formats. With Zay Flowers (calf) currently listed as questionable, Likely may even have a bigger role in the passing game. Fantasy managers can consider him a TE1 again this week.
Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely wasn't able to continue his hot streak as he ended up producing TE2 value in Week 16, but he proved to be an important piece to this offense. Likely ended the game with three receptions for 56 yards on four targets. He was tied with Rashod Bateman and Nelson Agholor for the second-most targets behind Zay Flowers. His value shines through even more in PPR formats, but given how thin the tight end position is in fantasy football, Likely can always finish near the top of the position in any given week. He'll take on the Miami Dolphins in Week 17.
