Who Should I Start? Isaiah Likely or Mason Taylor

Friday, September 5, 4:53 PM

Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely (ankle) was ruled out for the season opener against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. As expected, Likely won't take the field after failing to practice this week. It sounds like he has been doing some work on the side, but isn't ready for game action yet. That being said, it's possible that Likely misses more than just the season opener. Mark Andrews will be the primary option at tight end with Charlie Kolar seeing increased usage with Likely out. Fantasy managers will need to check back next week for another update on Likely. The absence of Likely does slightly increase the fantasy value of Andrews for the season opener.

Saturday, September 6, 11:05 AM

New York Jets tight end Mason Taylor will make his Jets debut this Sunday when his team hosts the Pittsburgh Steelers at MetLife Stadium. The 21-year-old rookie was an ascending talent during his time with LSU, garnering the role of a three-year starter. Taylor set the Tigers' single-season tight end reception record in his final campaign (55) and will get an opportunity to impact the NFL field immediately. New York's passing game is lacking in strong options behind wide receiver Garrett Wilson and running back Breece Hall, leaving a significant portion of quarterback Justin Fields' passing volume ripe for the taking. It remains to be seen how often the Jets will air it out, but Taylor is an above-average athlete and runs a diverse route tree. He's one to watch early on, even if it might take him a bit to get going. The first-year pro comes in at RotoBaller's PPR TE30 for his NFL debut.