The New York Giants must be thrilled about the early returns on their investment in tight end Isaiah Likely. He wasted no time rewarding the club's faith in his talent with an outstanding debut, especially when stacked up against the Las Vegas Raiders' Michael Mayer.
Las Vegas signed Mayer to a three-year, $45 million contract extension days before defeating the Miami Dolphins to kick off their 2026 campaign. It was an out-of-the-blue announcement. And frankly, the news flew a bit under the radar because the Green Bay Packers' Tucker Kraft, a high-profile tight end, simultaneously secured a payday.
Mayer is now quietly one of the highest-earning TEs in the business. His $15 million average annual value and $30 million in total guarantees are both more than Likely. That's not meant to be a knock on the former, although it illustrates how the Giants got the latter for a bargain this offseason.
With that in mind, let's put Likely and Mayer's season-opening performances side by side and weigh them:
Isaiah Likely Week 1 Stats | Michael Mayer Week 1 Stats |
|---|---|
23 routes run | 24 routes run |
8 targets | 7 targets |
8 receptions | 6 receptions |
78 receiving yards, two TDs | 32 receiving yards, no TDs |
3.39 yards per route run (YPRR) | 1.33 yards per route run (YPPR) |
66 air yards | 29 air yards |
15 yards after catch | 18 yards after catch |
146.9 passer rating when targeted | 85.7 passer rating when targeted |
1.379 expect points added/target | 0.013 expected points added/target |
Isaiah Likely makes Raiders' Michael Mayer deal feel bizarre
New York leaned on Likely in their impressive 28-20 Sunday Night Football win over the Dallas Cowboys. His established connection with head coach John Harbaugh, dating back to their Baltimore Ravens days, allowed him to hit the ground running. The same can't be said for Mayer, whose outing left much to be desired.
For context, the Buffalo Bills' Dalton Kincaid led the position in YPRR in 2025 with a 3.19 clip, and the league average was 1.42. Puka Nacua of the Los Angeles Rams and the Seattle Seahawks' Jaxon Smith-Njigba, arguably the NFL's top wide receivers, posted 3.85 and 3.74 marks, respectively. Lest we forget, we're using a single-game sample size for comparison, yet it highlights Likely's impact.
Likely was a key cog in the offense, especially whenever the G-Men needed to move the chains or were within striking distance. He was the lone TE to draw four red-zone targets in Week 1 and the only one besides Arizona Cardinals star Trey McBride to post six receiving first downs. The Coastal Carolina product's 31.8 percent first-read target rate versus Dallas also matches some of football's premier wideouts, including the Cowboys' CeeDee Lamb (32 percent).
Whether from the slot or out wide, Likely's athleticism and speed proved to be a difference-maker. He was crucial to New York's downfield attack while providing second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart with a reliable security blanket. It was truly the best of both worlds.
Meanwhile, Las Vegas was without their stud tight end, Brock Bowers, and needed someone to step up. Mayer had the raw volume, pacing the squad in targets and tying electrifying running back Ashton Jeanty for the team high in catches. They boast one of, if not the, worst receiving corps in recent memory, so signal-caller Kirk Cousins didn't have many other places to turn.
A 4.14 average depth of target also speaks to the low-value, dink-and-dunk nature of Mayer's looks, however. He wasn't asked to be a one-for-one replacement for Bowers and didn't stand out, which is fine — but Likely did.
Why Isaiah Likely cost less than Michael Mayer
Nevertheless, Mayer offers additional value that doesn't necessarily show up in the box score as a blocker but is certainly worth mentioning. He boosts the rushing attack with good size (6-foot-4, 256 pounds) and toughness. His versatility lets the Raiders deploy him in several ways, unlike Likely, who's more one-dimensional, albeit very dynamic.
Victory lap aside, recording a 69.7 percent route participation rate despite logging just half of the Giants' snaps demonstrates Likely's role as a pseudo-specialist. He functions more like a designated hitter in baseball, never getting full-time usage to maximize his strengths and hide any shortcomings in protection. That can be a double-edged sword, though, because it's a tell to opposing defenses.
Likely's limitations are why he's never been an every-down contributor. His slender frame can rear its ugly head when entrusting him with traditional in-line duties. Harbaugh's Ravens didn't remain so stubbornly committed to keeping a declining veteran like Mark Andrews and 2022 draft classmate Charlie Kolar on a whim.
Note: Advanced metrics courtesy of Fantasy Points' data suite 2.0 ($).
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