Isaiah Likely fantasy projection: Should I pick and start Ravens TE in Week 1?

Could Isaiah Likely be getting a big break in both the real and virtual gridiron?

Some bad news for Baltimore Ravens fans: star tight end Mark Andrews in unlikely to play the season opener against the Houston Texans, according to insiders Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport.

The three-time Pro Bowler is still reeling from a quad injury he sustained during last month's joint practice with the Washington Commanders.

There's some good news, though: the Ravens have contingency plans for Andrews' injury in sophomores Likely and Charlie Kolar. Let's analyze Likely's fantasy prospects:

---

Isaiah Likely 2023 Fantasy Outlook

Isaiah Likely had a decent 2022 campaign for someone who was second in his position's depth chart. The 139th pick out of Coastal Carolina caught 36 of 60 targets for 373 yards and three touchdowns in 16 games, starting twice.

Heading into his sophomore campaign, Likely now has rather high expectations from coach John Harbaugh, who told The Athletic's Jeff Zrebiec after a practice session:

“Nothing but the highest. He’s a talented guy, works super hard. ... He just works to get better every day. It should be a big year for him.”

---

Need tips on how to build your ideal starting lineup? Head to Sportskeeda's Start/Sit Optimizer now.

---

In a very telling sign found by the Baltimore Banner, last year the Ravens were worse when Likely and Mark Andrews shared the field at -0.11 expected points added (EPA) per play and -0.16 per drop-back, easily among the worst.

If only the latter saw the field, it fluctuated between positive and negative 0.01 - mid-pack; but when it was the former, it jumped to 0.21/0.16 - elite levels.

---

Is Isaiah Likely a good fantasy pick in 2023?

Based on the stats above, Isaiah Likely is a strong sleeper candidate for Baltimore Ravens fans.

For a backup tight end, he's rated very highly by whatever fantasy sites rank him. Likely sits at a consensus TE29 in a standard setting, potentially higher than even a few starters, and escalates to TE26 if using the Fantasy Football Calculator.

It will not be surprising if John Harbaugh has a conflict over which tight end to use if Likely plays well again.

---

Should I start Isaiah Likely in Week 1?

As Blake Bell showed against the Detroit Lions, backup tight ends should be valued more highly. Whether it be as pass-catchers or as additional blockers, their importance cannot be underestimated.

Likely belongs to that group. While he may not be as prolific as Mark Andrews, he's still a decent secondary option in his position. Nevertheless, the AFC has other good tight ends like Dawson Knox who, at least, slightly deserves the nod over Likely.

However, for the purpose of their Week 1 matchup, here's how Sportskeeda's Start/Sit Optimizer compares Likely with the Houston Texans' new positional signing, Dalton Schultz:

Surprisingly, the Ravens' positional backup compares very favorably with the Texans' projected starter, justifying why fantasy sites have him as a sleeper pick.