Who Should I Start? Ian Thomas or Isaiah Likely

Tuesday, March 25, 1:32 PM

The Las Vegas Raiders announced on Tuesday that they signed free-agent tight end Ian Thomas (calf) to an undisclosed deal on Tuesday. Thomas will head to the AFC West after spending the first seven years of his NFL career with the Carolina Panthers after they selected him in the fourth round (101st overall) in the 2018 NFL draft out of Indiana. The 28-year-old never really established himself as a fantasy asset in Carolina, with his best season coming in his rookie campaign with a 36-333-2 line on 49 targets in 16 games (six starts). Thomas landed on Injured Reserve in 2024 with a calf injury and only caught three of six targets for seven yards in five games (two starts). He scored four touchdowns in his first three seasons but hasn't found the end zone since. In Vegas, he'll provide TE depth behind Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer and will remain off the fantasy radar.

Friday, November 7, 10:59 AM

Since returning from a foot injury that delayed his start to the 2025 season, Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely has seen minimal usage in his team's passing game. Across five games played, the 25-year-old has hauled in eight catches for 86 yards on nine targets. However, Likely is coming off his best game of the season in Week 9, recording three catches for 60 yards on four targets against the Miami Dolphins. Week 9 was also the first time Likely has shared the field with star Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson for a full game. Across 16 games with Jackson in 2024, Likely recorded 42 catches for 477 yards and six touchdowns on 58 targets. Likely's fantasy ceiling is limited by the presence of veteran Ravens tight end Mark Andrews. However, his stock is trending upwards heading into a Week 10 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings now that Jackson is back in the fold.