The 2026 NFL season is officially underway with a Super Bowl rematch between the Seahawks and the Patriots on Wednesday night, while the New York Giants will wait a little longer to host the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football.
So many storylines are shaping up for the G-Men this season, starting with a new era of Giants football led by John Harbaugh, the new sheriff in town. Harbaugh was named the franchise’s head coach in January, bringing a different coaching staff and plenty of roster turnover with him.
One of the more exciting additions was former Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely, whom the team signed in free agency to give Jaxson Dart a new weapon. He’s in a better situation to produce in New York and will have the opportunity to have a true breakout year.
Giants TE Isaiah Likely has everything he needs to thrive in New York
Likely came to the Giants after four seasons in Baltimore under Harbaugh. While he had a solid run with the Ravens, finishing with at least 300 receiving yards in each season and totaling 1,568 yards and 15 touchdowns, he was often overlooked, sitting behind All-Pro Mark Andrews on the depth chart. That's no longer the case in New York.
The 26-year-old is healthy and was named Big Blue’s TE1 ahead of Theo Johnson on their unofficial depth chart, but Likely could ultimately function as much more than a traditional tight end in this offense. Given the state of New York’s receiver room, there’s a real chance he functions as Dart’s No. 2 receiving option behind Malik Nabers.
After Darius Slayton’s release, the Giants have just four receivers on their roster. They are relying on Nabers to be fully healthy, rookie Malachi Fields, veteran Darnell Mooney, and 33-year-old Odell Beckham Jr., who hasn’t had a 1,000-yard season since 2019. That leaves Likely with a real opportunity to emerge as one of Dart’s top receiving options, so Big Blue Nation can expect him to see plenty of targets.
Likely has everything in place to put together the best season of his career. He’s no longer stuck behind Andrews -- the G-Men need another reliable target behind Nabers, and Dart should have plenty of reasons to look his way. After four years of waiting for a larger opportunity in Baltimore, Likely finally has one in New York. It all starts Sunday night against the Cowboys.
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