Hayden Winks downgraded Isaiah Likely after confirming the tight end broke his foot—almost certainly a Jones fracture—and will undergo surgery. Winks noted that the typical recovery for such a procedure is eight weeks, making a PUP designation (minimum four missed games) the most probable outcome. Because Likely is already a contingent-value player whose spiked weeks come when Mark Andrews sits, drafters were unlikely to start him during Weeks 1-4 anyway. Winks recommended pushing Likely several rounds down best-ball boards and treating him purely as an injury hedge rather than an early-season bye-week plug-in.

Shawn Siegele called Isaiah Likely a worthwhile long-shot in the late rounds because the Ravens occasionally build game plans that feature him over Mark Andrews, citing Baltimore’s Week-1 approach against Kansas City last season as an example. Even if Likely’s season-long catch total ends up modest, those tactically focused weeks could produce bunched receptions and big fantasy scores that matter more in best ball than in managed leagues. Siegele views Likely as the kind of cheap tight end whose spiked-week profile can patch holes on teams that punt the position early while still offering legitimate breakout potential if Andrews ever misses time.

Chris Raybon highlighted Isaiah Likely as one of the rare backup tight ends who can already pay off his TE15 ADP while offering league-winning upside. Likely finished 16th in Best-Ball Points Added per game last year even though Mark Andrews played all 17 contests; Baltimore essentially split routes between the two, making Likely the de-facto No. 3 target ahead of a fading veteran wide-receiver group headlined by DeAndre Hopkins. Raybon called Likely an “anti-fragile” asset: his baseline production holds when Andrews stays healthy, but Andrews missing time immediately vaults him into the top-five conversation. Because Andrews turned 30 and the Ravens were already willing to use him as a blocker at times, Raybon believes the chances of Likely’s role growing are higher than the market assumes. He urged drafters to treat Likely like a slot receiver who happens to carry tight-end eligibility, making him an ideal TE2 on tournament builds chasing late-season spike weeks.

Davis Mattek advised treating Isaiah Likely strictly as a late-round contingency pick rather than a standalone TE2. Likely would, in Mattek’s words, "absolutely explode" if Mark Andrews were to miss time because the Ravens funnel so many high-value targets to the primary tight end, but the day-to-day profile is thin. Mattek knocked Likely’s athleticism—citing a 3.5 Relative Athletic Score—and noted that his route participation shrinks to almost nothing when Andrews is healthy. In Underdog drafts, Mattek only sprinkles Likely onto rosters that fade Andrews entirely, using him as cheap leverage on a potential injury scenario while avoiding him on teams that already spent early capital at the position.

Mathology said Isaiah Likely is the clear TE2 to grab whenever you already have Lamar Jackson because there is 'really not a ton left on the Ravens to stack.' With Zay Flowers going early and the backfield offering little receiving juice, Likely becomes the cheapest way to finish a Baltimore double-stack while still capturing Lamar’s red-zone upside. Mathology likes how Likely’s basketball-background catch radius lets Jackson simply throw a fade and trust the 6-4 tight end to win above the rim, calling him a potential touchdown merchant if Mark Andrews’ role is scaled back. In Underdog rooms where drafters routinely stop at one tight end, scooping Likely in the late-teens gives what he called "a smash" correlation play that can separate during Best Ball Mania playoff weeks.

Andy Holloway warned fantasy managers not to chase Isaiah Likely despite offseason coach-speak touting him as a future Pro Bowler. Holloway reminded listeners of last year’s Week-1 mirage—Likely drew 12 targets and prompted managers to empty the FAAB, only to vanish once Mark Andrews returned. Likely finished 2024 with 58 targets, nearly matching Andrews’ 69, yet produced just two TE1 weeks. With Baltimore content to deploy both tight ends situationally, Holloway expects weekly roulette rather than reliable starter production. His bottom line: leave Likely on waivers in typical redraft and reserve him for deep best-ball dart throws only.

Erik Beimfohr called Isaiah Likely the perfect late-round tight-end bullet after Todd Monken said Baltimore will again lean heavily on 12 personnel—the Ravens led the NFL in that package last year. Monken added on the team podcast that he wants to "give Likely more stuff" after the sophomore posted 2.06 yards per route and four TDs in the three games Mark Andrews missed. John Harbaugh publicly said his hope is for Likely to become an All-Pro, a comment Beimfohr concedes was a bit of coach-speak but still signals expanded usage. In best ball, Likely’s path to 60-70 targets and multiple 20-point spike weeks is all you need behind an anchor tight end, so Beimfohr is scooping him at pick 170+ instead of chasing replacement-level receivers.

Sean Koerner urged drafters to grab Isaiah Likely in Round 13 as one of the few backup tight ends who can genuinely swing leagues. Even with Mark Andrews healthy all year, Likely ranked TE16 in Best Ball points added per game, validating a usable weekly floor at his current TE17 ADP. Koerner spotlighted the contingency upside: when Andrews missed the final five games of 2023, Likely finished as the TE3 overall, averaging 6.0 catches, 71 yards and 0.8 TDs. The Ravens play heavy 12-personnel, so Likely stays on the field enough to provide occasional spike weeks even when Andrews is active, but any injury vaults him into top-5 territory immediately. Chris Raybon added that by Week 5 last season Likely had already logged a TE1 and TE4 finish, illustrating how little patience is required before he pays off. Koerner framed him as the perfect upside-plus-floor complement to an early-round tight end in both Best Ball and season-long leagues.

Ryan McDowell said Isaiah Likely is a screaming dynasty buy at TE16 (151 overall) because the Ravens keep telegraphing that Mark Andrews may not be on the Week-1 roster. McDowell is operating as if an Andrews trade or cut will happen within the next 100 days, pointing to Eric DeCosta’s refusal to shut down rumors and Baltimore’s quiet offseason at wide receiver. Likely already produced five TE1 games in a limited role last year—matching Dallas Goedert and Jake Ferguson—demonstrating fantasy viability even when sharing snaps. If Andrews moves, McDowell expects Likely’s startup ADP to spike into the top-8 tight ends overnight, a value jump comparable to Trey Benson’s contingent upside behind James Conner. Rich Cooling added that Baltimore’s lack of a true WR3 makes two-tight-end sets and frequent slot usage for Likely very likely, boosting his route volume. Worst-case Likely meets TE16 expectations; best-case drafters lock in an ascending, 22-year-old receiving weapon tethered to Lamar Jackson at a massive discount.

Pete Overzet called Isaiah Likely a slam-dunk selection after he slid ten spots past ADP on a roster already built around Lamar Jackson. Overzet reminded viewers that Likely has already flashed two 20-point spike weeks while sharing the field with Mark Andrews, so you are buying a player who can matter even in his current secondary role. The real juice, according to Pete, is the "free upside" if the persistent rumors of a possible Andrews trade ever materialize or if the veteran’s lingering injuries resurface. In that scenario Likely would vault into every-down usage in a Todd Monken offense that finished top-five in points per drive last season. Getting that kind of break-glass ceiling at a late-round price lets drafters stick with a two-tight-end build and funnel extra capital toward wide receivers in Best Ball Mania 6.

Billy Jones recommended scooping Isaiah Likely only after he falls into the mid-150s—just behind Kyle Pitts and Dallas Goedert—because his profile mirrors a handcuff running back. Likely will see some 12-personnel routes every week, but the true league-winning ceiling comes only if Mark Andrews misses time. Jones compared him to drafting Tyler Allgeier behind Bijan Robinson: you target 8% exposure and accept that most of the value is contingent. The build implications matter—Likely fits best in three-tight-end constructions or paired with a high-volume stud like Trey McBride or Brock Bowers. Two-TE builds with volatility magnets like George Kittle are risky because Likely cannot cover Kittle’s weekly disappearances. Bottom line: click Likely once he dips beyond Ferguson and the other TE2s, but be intentional about roster structure.

Erik Beimfohr said he is building a "nice healthy bag" of Isaiah Likely around pick 120 because the Ravens have done nothing to strengthen target competition and there is still a non-zero chance Mark Andrews is traded or cut for cap relief. Likely averaged 2.05 yards per route and was a top-10 fantasy tight end in the four games Andrews missed last year, demonstrating immediate TE1 upside in Baltimore’s Todd Monken offense. If Andrews were removed, Beimfohr believes Likely would be drafted ahead of where Andrews currently goes (around pick 100) and could rise into the Laporta/Hockenson tier by late summer. Even without an Andrews move, Likely offers weekly spike-week potential on a team projected top-five in points. At his current price, drafters are paying for a low-end TE2 while getting legitimate top-six contingency upside for free.

Erik Beimfohr said he is "trying to get a nice healthy bag" of Isaiah Likely at his late-11th/12th-round DraftKings price. Likely already flashed 20-plus-point upside in two 2023 spot starts, and Beimfohr noted Baltimore added zero target competition this off-season. If the Ravens trade or cut Mark Andrews to free cap space—a non-zero possibility given Andrews’ age and contract—Likely would jump at least four rounds, landing in the Dallas Goedert/Sam LaPorta tier. Even without that move, Likely offers an easy back-door correlation with Lamar Jackson stacks in BBM and provides elite injury contingency value on a top-five scoring offense. Beimfohr believes Likely’s floor is TE2 filler, but the ceiling is a league-winning top-five tight end that you can still draft outside pick 130.