Ravens TE Isaiah Likely's Fantasy Outlook, Trade Advice amid Mark Andrews' Injury
Baltimore Ravens backup tight end Isaiah Likely's number has been called each of the past two games with regular starter Mark Andrews sitting with injuries.
Andrews left his team's Oct. 27 matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a shoulder injury and did not return. He played in the game despite being listed as questionable leading up to the game with a knee ailment and never practicing (three catches, 33 yards before leaving).
Likely answered the bell with six catches for 77 yards and one touchdown on seven targets en route to a 27-22 road win.
He was called into the TE1 role again last Monday against the New Orleans Saints after Andrews, who hadn't practiced all week, sat with knee and shoulder injuries.
The Ravens dominated on the ground and defensively, meaning they only threw 22 times. Likely led the way with five targets and caught just one ball, but he made the most of it with a 24-yard touchdown grab.
Likely is now averaging 14.7 points in fantasy point-per-reception leagues each of the past two weeks. It is a small sample size, but that would put him third in the NFL among tight ends in points per game, per FantasyPros.
The Ravens have a bye this week before returning to action Nov. 20 at home versus the Carolina Panthers.
It's unclear when Andrews will be able to return, although head coach John Harbaugh did tell reporters after the Bucs game that he did not believe his injury was serious.
Andrew can be expected to once again be the Ravens' top pass-catcher once he returns. He had a tremendous 2021 campaign (107 passes for 1,361 yards and nine touchdowns) and a great start to 2022 (42/488/5).
If he has to miss more time, though, then Likely can emerge as one of the most productive tight ends in football in the interim.
With that being the case, it's certainly worth seeing if he'd be available in your league via trade. If he's somehow on your waiver wire, then he's an easy addition to make too. If you have him on your roster already, he's someone to hang onto given the potential for some high-upside games if Andrews is out further.
Likely, a rookie out of Coastal Carolina, enjoyed a tremendous 2021 season with 59 catches for 912 yards and 12 touchdowns. However, he was just the ninth tight end taken off the board in the NFL draft (and second on the Ravens behind Charlie Kolar).
Likely could end up being the best of the bunch, though. He dominated the preseason by catching all 12 of his targets for 144 yards and one touchdown. Likely caught eight passes for 100 yards and a touchdown in the first half alone versus the Arizona Cardinals.
Asking Likely to duplicate Andrews' tremendous production could be a bridge too far, but he has shown enough potential to be excited about where he can go in the NFL.
