Who Should I Start? Isaiah Likely or AJ Barner

Tuesday, April 28, 8:58 AM

After spending the first four years of his NFL career with the Baltimore Ravens, tight end Isaiah Likely landed a three-year, $40 million deal with the New York Giants in free agency. Likely flashed upside throughout his time with Baltimore, but his path to consistently fantasy-relevant production was often blocked by the presence of veteran Ravens tight end Mark Andrews. In New York, Likely could find himself in another timeshare for tight end snaps with incumbent Giants tight end Theo Johnson. Johnson had a solid year in 2025, recording 45 receptions for 528 yards and five touchdowns on 74 targets across 15 games. However, given the financial investment the Giants made in Likely and the fact that he's following former Ravens head coach John Harbaugh from Baltimore to New York, it wouldn't be shocking to see Likely open the year as the clear TE1. The Giants also do not have an obvious second option in the passing game behind star wideout Malik Nabers (knee), which could further open the door for a breakout year from Likely. A significant jump in production for Likely is not guaranteed, but his dynasty value is in a better spot after his move to New York.