Who Should I Start? Donald Parham or Isaiah Likely

Monday, August 12, 8:26 PM

As things currently stand in training camp, The Athletic's Daniel Popper lists Los Angeles Chargers tight ends Will Dissly, Hayden Hurst and Stone Smartt as the three TEs he thinks will make the final roster. Donald Parham Jr. and Ben Mason have missed significant practice time with injuries, and when Parham has been on the field, he has been working with the second and third teams. His blocking also remains a weakness. Zach Heins and Luke Benson have flashed at times, but they don't seem deserving of a roster spot over one of the other team's receivers. Smartt has improved as a blocker, which is why Popper thinks he'll earn a 53-man roster spot for a run-heavy Greg Roman offense this year. Parham's fantasy value in dynasty/keeper leagues is quickly evaporating, even though he set career-highs in catches (27), yards (285) and touchdowns (four) in 2023.

Sunday, October 6, 6:40 PM

Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely was one of three tight ends to receive targets from Lamar Jackson during their 41-38 overtime win over the Cincinnati Bengals. Likely kept finding himself in the right place at the right time during Lamar Jackson scrambles. He finished the game with three receptions on three targets for 13 yards and two scores. His biggest score of the day was on the receiving end of a fantastic play by Jackson when he recovered a bobbled snap, stiff-armed a lineman, and found Likely in the back of the end zone to make it a three-point game near the end of the fourth. Moving forward, now that Charlie Kolar has been more in the mix, Likely's usage could fluctuate even more.