Isaiah Likely
Likely is New York's clear starting tight end and, with Malik Nabers dealing with a knee issue, he's positioned as a real weekly weapon in the Giants' passing game rather than just a touchdown-dependent complementary piece.
Role
Likely is listed atop the Giants' tight end depth chart ahead of Theo Johnson and is expected to play the bulk of offensive snaps, working in-line and out wide in John Harbaugh's tight-end-heavy scheme. With Nabers banged up, Likely is the name being floated as the top alternative target behind him, ahead of Darnell Mooney, Darius Slayton, Malachi Fields and Johnson for early-down and third-down work; his route volume and target share should rise on any week Nabers is limited or sidelined.
He got a top-three tight end contract for a reason: analysts point to a strong 2024 target-per-route and yards-per-route profile, a scheme built around heavy tight-end usage, a favorable red-zone role, and a QB (Jaxson Dart) who has reportedly built real chemistry with him — plus a clear path to added volume if Nabers' knee limits him.
Skeptics note he's never topped 500 receiving yards in a season, his 2025 was wrecked by injury and poor ball security, Theo Johnson remains a real complementary piece who could siphon red-zone/two-TE snaps, and the 'second option' framing assumes Nabers stays limited — if Nabers is fully healthy, Likely's target share likely reverts toward the field behind him rather than truly second in line.
Where analysts split
The core question is how much of Likely's target bump is a temporary byproduct of Nabers' knee versus a durable, weekly role — i.e., does he keep commanding this volume once Nabers is fully healthy, or does he slide back into a touchdown-dependent complementary role behind Mooney/Slayton/Fields in the pecking order.
Research confidence: reported. Outlooks are grounded in web search over current reporting and refreshed through the season.
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