Isaiah Likely made an immediate impact in his New York Giants debut, quickly developing strong chemistry with rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart during the Giants’ Week 1 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys.
Likely finished the game with 8 receptions on 8 targets for 78 yards and two touchdowns, producing a career-best 27.8 PPR fantasy points and emerging as one of the biggest stories from the opening week.
Isaiah Likely Becomes Jaxson Dart’s Favorite Target
The Giants wasted little time getting Isaiah Likely involved in the offense. Dart repeatedly looked toward the veteran tight end, and that connection translated into two touchdown passes.
Likely caught six passes for 61 yards and two touchdowns according to the initial game report, while his final statistical line was even stronger at eight catches, 78 yards and two scores.
His first touchdown came after a coverage breakdown, but the bigger takeaway was how naturally Likely and Dart appeared to work together.
Reports from Giants training camp had already indicated that Dart frequently targeted Likely during practices. That early connection now appears to be carrying over into meaningful NFL action.
Giants Tight End Isaiah Likely Makes History for Himself
The performance was particularly notable because it came in Likely’s first game with the Giants.
New York signed Likely to a three-year, $40 million contract during free agency, giving him an opportunity to become a full-time weapon after spending the first four seasons of his career with the Baltimore Ravens.
Likely previously played alongside star tight end Mark Andrews in Baltimore. During his four-season Ravens career, he recorded 135 receptions for 1,568 yards and 15 touchdowns.
With the Giants, however, Likely has the opportunity to take on a much larger role.
Isaiah Likely’s Fantasy Football Impact
From a fantasy football perspective, Likely’s Week 1 performance immediately raises expectations.
His 27.8 PPR points led all tight ends entering Monday night’s game, according to Draft Sharks. More importantly, his workload suggests this was not simply a touchdown-dependent performance.
Likely received eight targets and caught all eight, giving fantasy managers plenty of reasons to view him as a potential weekly starter.
His expected full-time route participation is another important factor. If that role continues, Likely could remain heavily involved even when he doesn’t score multiple touchdowns.
Likely Could Become a New Giants Tight End Star
The Giants have a long history of productive tight ends, including Mark Bavaro, Howard Cross and Jeremy Shockey.
Likely now has a chance to establish his own place in that history.
His arrival also reunites him with head coach John Harbaugh, who previously coached him in Baltimore. The familiarity between the two could help explain why New York was willing to make a significant investment in the tight end.
For now, the biggest development is his connection with Jaxson Dart. If the rookie quarterback continues to rely on Likely as one of his primary targets, the Giants may have found a dangerous offensive combination.
Isaiah Likely‘s Giants debut was about more than two touchdowns. It showed that he could become a central part of New York’s passing game and potentially one of the NFL’s most productive fantasy tight ends in 2026.
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